One Second to Lose
by Some Irrelevant Person
Summary: A single misstep causes changes unforeseen. Will these changes permanently alter the world around Naruto? Or will his original fate still come to fruition? A story of fear, self-loathing and paranoia.
1. Chapter 1: Divergence

**Chapter 1: Divergence  
**

Anger. That was the most succinct way of describing Iruka's mood. Upon hearing the news of Naruto's absconding with the forbidden scroll, he had combed the entire village in desperate search for the young boy. While upset when he first found Naruto, Iruka had no idea how much worse things would become. Naruto had been deceived by one of his academy instructors, Mizuki. The man had promised the boy that he would graduate if he stole the scroll and learned one technique from it. To say things went awry after Naruto revealed this to Iruka would be an understatement.

Mizuki attacked Naruto, and if not for Iruka, the boy may very well have died. Not being satisfied with his initial assassination attempt, Mizuki told Naruto of his tenant, the nine-tailed demon fox. This was forbidden by law, of course. Not that Mizuki cared, if his plan went accordingly he'd be out of the village with nobody for the village to blame except Naruto. Thankfully, Iruka and the young blonde put up some resistance. If Mizuki was going to get the scroll, he'd have to kill them first.

"You really don't think the demon fox has run off with that scroll? He and I are alike in that way… we both crave power. And neither of us care who we have to step on to achieve that power!"

Iruka had his back to a tree, and was panting heavily. His body was littered with cuts and bruises from his earlier skirmish with Mizuki. He looked up to the traitorous chūnin and smirked.

"Yeah, you're right… the demon fox would do that…"

This comment caught the attention of a certain eavesdropping blonde. Hiding behind a tree, Naruto was carefully guarding the scroll. _'I see… so that's how he really feels.'_ He strengthened his grip on the scroll. Tears threatened to escape, but he stubbornly refused to release them. He would not cry. Not again. The boy's ears twitched as he heard Iruka continue.

"But Naruto is different. He's one of my precious students. He may be clumsy, he may be a slacker… but that pain of being alone, he and I both understand it."

Iruka hardened his glare and continued. "He is not the demon fox, he is Naruto Uzumaki, a proud member of the Leaf Village."

Sniffle. Sniffle. _'Dammit, dammit. I won't cry, I won't cry, I won't…'_ Naruto's thoughts betrayed him as tears streamed down his face. After all these years of being ignored, ostracized, picked on… he had finally been acknowledged.

Mizuki's lips twisted into a sneer. "You've said enough." The silver haired chūnin grabbed a large shuriken he had been carrying on his back. "Just hurry up and die already!"

Naruto's thoughts quickly shifted from relief to fear for Iruka. He sprung to his feet and dashed to protect his teacher. If he could help it, he wouldn't let Mizuki lay a finger on Iruka.

In what seemed like an instant, Naruto darted out of his hiding spot to protect his teacher. A wave of dread overcame him as he realized not only had he not intercepted anything, Mizuki was currently empty handed.

"N-no…"

He slowly turned back, and his eyes widened in horror. There was Iruka, his head slumped over and a large shuriken jutting out of his stomach. Naruto turned again to face Mizuki. He grit his teeth and clenched his fists. His knuckles were ghost white, and blood dripped from his palms as his nails dug into his skin.

"Looks like you were too late, fox." Mizuki chuckled maliciously as he extended his right hand to Naruto. "Now give me the scroll, or I'll kill you too."

Mizuki's smugness quickly disappeared as he noticed a red shroud enveloping the young blonde. The boy's ocean blue eyes had turned blood red. His normally circular pupils were now slits. Naruto released a wave of intense killing intent, enough to bring Mizuki to his knees out of sheer terror.

" **You? Kill me?"**

* * *

In the Hokage's office, the elderly third Hokage quietly observed his crystal ball. The magical device had shown him the events as they unfolded. His face solemn, he brought his right hand to his pipe, and removed it to exhale some smoke. _'The fox's power is leaking. Please Naruto, don't lose control.'_ The old Hokage, known as Hiruzen Sarutobi, thought to himself.

As the shroud that enveloped Naruto strengthened, cracks began to form on the crystal ball. _'What's this?'_ All the elderly Hokage could see was a burst of red chakra before the ball shattered.

The sound of a pipe clashing against wooden floor could be heard, followed by a bang as Hiruzen's fist slammed onto his desk. He was unsure of what could happen now. Would the fox take over? Would the village be in danger? There were no nearby shinobi, as most were searching the village for Naruto. Hiruzen had to find the boy himself, and hoped dearly that he would still be the same Naruto.

* * *

Naruto dropped the scroll and disappeared in a flash, only to reappear in front of Mizuki to deliver a fierce swipe to his chest. The silver haired man let out an anguished howl as he keeled over. The blonde did not let up on his assault as he proceeded to pummel Mizuki's face. With each hit, Naruto roared in despair.

Minutes passed before Naruto's rage subsided. The red shroud disappeared, and his features returned to normal. He grimaced when he realized the full extent of the damage he had inflicted on Mizuki. The man's head was completely unrecognizable. All that remained was a pile of red mush, hair and a bloodied bandana with the symbol of the Leaf Village.

Naruto looked to Iruka, then covered his eyes with his goggles as he started to sob again. _'Why am I so weak? Why couldn't I make it in time? I'm sorry Iruka… I'm so sorry.'_ The boy screamed and punched a nearby tree, leaving an impressive dent.

' _I can't go back. Iruka's dead, Mizuki's dead, and I'm the only one who knows what happened… Why would anybody believe me? I'm the demon fox… right?'_

Naruto adjusted his goggles then wiped the tears from his face. There was no turning back. He couldn't return to the village. After saying a silent prayer for Iruka, he leapt into the treetops. In a rare moment of insight, the boy realized what would happen when the village discovered his disappearance.

' _They'll track me down. They'll think I killed Iruka and Mizuki and fled to save my own skin.'_ He brought his index fingers together in a familiar sign, and summoned 40 clones.

"I don't know where I'm going, but I can't risk anyone finding me. For my sake and the village's," Naruto explained to his clones. "We have to throw them off, so everyone split up and run in different directions!" With that, 41 orange clad boys dashed off into the unknown.

' _I'm sorry Iruka, old man Hokage.'_

* * *

Sometime later, Hiruzen, accompanied by two ANBU arrived at a clearing in the forest. The bodies of two men were discovered, one of Iruka Umino, who was slumped against a tree, a large shuriken protruding from his stomach. The other, Mizuki, sprawled out on the ground, his head mangled beyond recognition.

The elderly Hokage approached Iruka, and brought his index and middle fingers to the boy's neck. He sighed in relief. "His heart beat is slow, but he's still alive. Thank God." He motioned to the two ANBU. "You two, take him to the hospital and monitor his status."

"Yes, Lord Hokage." The two ANBU replied in unison. One removed a scroll from his hind pouch and opened it, summoning a medical carrier. The other carefully removed the shuriken from Iruka's stomach and placed his palms on the wound. His hands glowed green as he applied medical ninjutsu. After a few moments, the two gently placed Iruka on the carrier, and hastily returned to the village.

Hiruzen noticed that the scroll had been left behind. However, there was no sign of Naruto. He jumped onto a thick branch of a nearby tree, then leapt across various other trees. After observing the branches, he quickly came to a realization.

' _The number of footprints… He used shadow clones to cover his tracks!'_

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He was relieved that the boy was unharmed. He couldn't sense a trace of the fox's chakra, so Naruto must have come to his senses. "I hope you know what you're doing, Naruto," Hiruzen muttered to himself. _'And please, please stay safe,'_ he silently added.

* * *

The last thing Naruto remembered was the faint impression of a small village. After running through treetops all night and most of the morning, he had succumbed to exhaustion. With only a matter of steps before reaching the entry gate of the village, the combination of hunger, thirst and fatigue had finally taken its toll.

The boy stirred slightly, still half-asleep. He could feel something warm over him and something soft beneath him. _'Am I in a bed?'_ The whistle of a tea kettle brought Naruto to full attention. He shot up, eyes wide, eager to investigate his surroundings. His jacket and goggles were laying on a small table adjacent to the bed. His sandals were neatly placed at the side of the bed.

"Oh, so you're finally awake?"

Naruto's head jerked in the direction of the voice. She was a kindly looking woman. The woman had long brown hair and brown eyes. Slight bags were visible beneath her eyes and if one squinted, they would notice some light crow's feet. If Naruto had to guess, he would say this woman was in her mid-40s.

"So, uh… Where am I?" The blonde asked cautiously.

The woman poured water from the kettle into a teacup before answering. "You're in a village called Taeru. You must have traveled quite a distance, because you looked downright ragged when I found you." She dropped a teabag into the cup and continued. "My name is Naoko Shindo, would you mind telling me yours? If you don't feel comfortable telling me, that's okay."

Noticing the lady's kind smile, Naruto smiled back. "The name's Naruto Uzumaki! Remember it because I'm gonna be the greatest Ho-" he stopped himself there. _'That incident with Mizuki and Iruka. I abandoned the village! I haven't even graduated! Is it… is it even possible anymore?'_

"Uh, ho-home designer! That's right, I'm gonna be the greatest home designer this world has ever seen!" Naruto grimaced. _'That was a lame save.'_

Naoko giggled at the boy's enthusiasm. "Well, that's certainly an interesting goal you have there. So, If I'm right and you did travel a long way to get here, where are your belongings?" A worrying thought struck her, and she suddenly panicked. "Oh dear, please don't tell me bandits had taken them before I found you!"

Naruto shook his head. "No, that's not it. Due to something… unfortunate, I had to leave my home and I didn't have time to pack. I'm sorry, but this isn't something I feel comfortable talking about." Naoko gave him a look of sympathy and nodded.

"What about your family? Won't they be worried about you?"

Naruto flinched and looked down. Noticing his apprehension, she placed a hand gently on his shoulder. He looked up at her with a somber smile. "I really don't know… I've never met my parents, and I don't have any siblings. I don't know if they're dead or if they just abandoned me."

Naoko frowned at this. Surely his parents didn't abandon him, right? She couldn't imagine any parent doing such a reprehensible thing. "I'm sorry for bringing it up! I was just concerned..."

"It's really no problem. I'm not gonna say it doesn't hurt, that loneliness hurts like hell. But I learned a long time ago that acting all miserable about it doesn't make things better." Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "So, I just try to focus on more positive things, y'know?"

Still looking concerned, she glanced back and remembered the food she had prepared for him. On a nearby table was a tray with a cup of freshly made tea and moderately sized meal. She removed her hand from the boy's shoulder and picked up the tray.

"I nearly forgot! You must be famished and dehydrated. I prepared this for you, I hope it's to your liking." The boy looked down at her offering as he felt tears welling up. It was a simple gesture, but for Naruto, this was unheard of. A perfect stranger not only letting him sleep in her house, but offering him food and drink? The act of kindness left him flabbergasted.

"Th-thank you, Naoko. This r-really means a lot to me." After giving his thanks, he dug in. Naoko was amazed at how quickly he consumed the meal. Within a minute Naruto had already finished eating the food, and only a small amount of tea remained. The boy rubbed his belly in satisfaction and smiled at the woman.

"Heh, heh, that really hit the spot. Thanks again!"

"Think nothing of it. Here in Taeru we look out for one another. We're small and somewhat poor, without our solidarity this village probably would have crumbled years ago."

"I still really appreciate it. You gotta let me make it up to you! I Insist!"

Naoko put a finger to her chin, adopting a thoughtful pose. "Well, if you insist... I run a general goods store downstairs. It's closed right now, but I could use an assistant. Someone to tidy up, keep the shelves stocked etc. That isn't too much to ask is it? If it is, I can find someone else."

Naruto shook his head and grinned. "Nope, that ain't too much. I'll be the best assistant ever!" He hopped out of bed. After slipping into his sandals, he grabbed his jacket and goggles and glanced at a clock hanging from one of the walls.

"WHAT! It's not 10:30 at night is it?"

Naoko yawned as she nodded. "I'm going to bed soon. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You were out for quite some time."

"So, what am I supposed to do now?" The boy whined.

"Well, you can continue to rest, or you could wander around the village. Normally I'd advise a young boy like you to stay inside this late, but you seem to be independent enough. I think you can handle yourself."

Naruto nodded. "Okay, I think I'll check out the village. There probably won't be much to do this late, but It's something, right? When do I need to get back to help you with your shop?"

"We open at 8:30. I'd advise you get some rest before coming in. And I must thank you for volunteering. I'm very grateful."

Naruto shook his head again and chuckled. "The only one here who should be thanked is you. After what you did for me, I couldn't live with myself if I didn't help out in some way." Naruto reached the staircase and began his descent. "Well, I'm off! See you at 8:30!"

Naoko let out another yawn and smiled softly. _'You sure are an interesting boy, Naruto Uzumaki.'_


	2. Chapter 2: Endure

**Chapter 2: Endure  
**

That smell. Iruka knew it well. A combination of medicine, blood and antiseptic. He was in the hospital, and while his mind was still groggy, he had a good idea of why he was there. Mizuki had attacked him while he was incapacitated. Before losing consciousness, he was certain he was going to die. Was Mizuki's aim really that poor? He wasn't a moving target, and he was at such close range, too. Even an academy student could've killed him with ease.

' _Did he take pity on me? After all that he said, did he actually spare me?'_

He slowly cracked his eyes open and took in his surroundings. He noticed the worn face of the third Hokage staring down at him. "L-lord Hokage! What happened to Naruto and Mizuki? And what of the *cough* scroll?"

Hiruzen sighed and placed hand on the young man's chest. "I didn't witness everything as there was a _disturbance_ with my crystal ball. From what I had observed, Mizuki struck you with that shuriken, rendering you unconscious. Naruto had been hiding and attempted to protect you, but was too late."

The wizened man brought his free hand to his pipe and inhaled. "After that it gets hazy. I left immediately to make sure you two were safe, but by the time I had arrived I was too late. It seems that in his rage over your supposed death, Naruto killed Mizuki."

Iruka's eyes widened. Naruto _killed_ Mizuki? He had a hard time believing the boy would be capable of killing anyone. It just wasn't in his nature. Unless…

Noticing the look of horror on Iruka's face, Hiruzen confirmed his fears. "It would seem he channeled some of the fox's power after witnessing your _death._ However, he must have come to his senses. When I arrived, I couldn't sense any of the fox's chakra."

The chūnin sighed in relief. "I'm a little confused, Lord Hokage. The way you're talking, it's almost like you're not sure what happened to Naruto." Hiruzen flinched, then spoke up. "After he killed Mizuki, he ran off."

"WHAT?!"

Iruka struggled to get up, then felt a sharp pain in his stomach. He fell on his back, coughing furiously. "You've sent people to search for him, right? He's young and inexperienced, he can't have gone far!"

"It's not that simple, Iruka. Naruto's cleverer than we give him credit for. Using Shadow Clones, he effectively covered his tracks. His scent and footprints are all over the forest. Even a team of expert trackers will struggle to find him."

"Shadow Clones? So that was the technique he learned from the scroll…" An array of emotions flashed across Iruka's visage. Fear, anger and… pride? Despite everything that happened, he was proud of his student learning such an impressive technique. The dead last who had trouble making one intangible clone somehow learned to use Shadow Clones? With this knowledge, he knew Naruto deserved to be a genin. But that probably wasn't possible anymore.

"Please, Lord Hokage, I beseech you! You *cough* must try to find him! He's all alone, who knows what dangers he'll face! He's strong, *cough* but I just don't think he can handle himself out there."

Hiruzen shut his eyes and frowned. "I have not given up, Iruka. I've sent a four-man team, all of whom are scanning the forests of the Land of Fire as we speak. I just don't want you to get your hopes up." The elderly Hokage sighed. "I had to wait until this afternoon before I could assemble a team and debrief them on their mission, and with Naruto's Shadow Clones… finding him won't be an easy task."

"I just hope he's okay…"

The Hokage smiled somberly. "Your concern is admirable, Iruka, but Naruto is nothing if not a survivor. With his determination and craftiness, I'm sure he'll manage."

"I sincerely hope so."

* * *

"So, this is Taeru, huh?"

Naruto shut the door behind him, and took a few moments to observe the village. It was fairly quiet, unlike the Leaf. Most of the villagers had retreated to their homes. The faint glow of street lanterns illuminated the dirt streets. With a shrug of his shoulders, Naruto set forth on his excursion.

Most of the buildings in Taeru were quite old, and somewhat worse for wear. While not a shinobi village, the town had been ravaged by the last few wars. The last war having ended 13 years ago gave the village time aplenty to rebuild, but it was clear Taeru had not fully recovered.

Besides making little observations of the village, Naruto was deep in thought. His mind replaying the events of the previous night. _'What happens from here? My whole life's been uprooted, and I just don't know what I'm gonna do.'_ The young boy huffed and kicked up some dirt.

' _Naoko is nice, but I can't stay with her forever. I'll help her out as well as I can, but I'm sure she'll get sick of me eventually.'_ Having noticed a bench, Naruto sat down with his chin in his hands. _'Do I continue training? It's not like I'm a ninja. Is there even a point?'_

' _That's it, huh? You're just gonna give up?'_ A nagging part of his conscious jeered. _'What would Iruka and the old man say? Especially Iruka. He died protecting you and this is how you repay him? By running away and quitting like a coward?'_

' _What can I even do? Where will training get me? I can't be a ninja, I can't be Hokage… I don't even have any friends to protect.'_

' _What about Naoko?'_

' _What? I just met her! She's survived long enough on her own, she doesn't need me protecting her!'_

' _How do you know that? And who's to say you won't meet someone else in the future worth protecting? Do you want to let them down like you did Iruka?'_

Naruto slammed his fists against his knees. "NO!" A few birds scattered away at the sudden noise. Naruto looked around in embarrassment, hoping he hadn't caused too much of a disturbance.

' _You're right. I can't let something like that happen again. I don't know what the future holds, but I must be strong! I can't give up!'_ With a look of determination on his face, Naruto sprung up. His vigor renewed, he ran towards the outskirts of the village, determined to improve himself.

* * *

Naruto let out a loud yawn as he stretched his arms. He was slumped against a tree, his orange jacket covering him like a blanket. He had trained himself harder than ever before. Starting off, Naruto spent the first two hours performing several basic strength exercises. Not being satisfied, he ran several laps around Taeru, then finally finished things off with a long spar with several clones.

Any normal person would've overexerted their self to dangerous levels, but with Naruto's stamina, he was able to push his body to inhuman limits. After only a few hours rest, his body was completely replenished. Naruto rubbed his eyes as he brought himself to his feet. He wasn't sure what time it was, but he figured it was still a little while before 8:30.

After tying his jacket sleeves around his waist, he rushed off in the direction of Naoko's shop. While running through the village, Naruto experienced something completely alien. People noticed him, they were polite to him. They waved, they smiled, they exchanged pleasantries. It took all of Naruto's willpower not to break out crying.

' _I think I'm gonna like this place!'_

A few minutes later, he came to a crossroads. Turning right, he returned to the house where Naoko had so kindly let him stay. The shop was still closed, but the lights were on. Naruto went around to the back of the house and knocked on the back door.

"Coming! Just give me a second."

Naruto smiled when he heard her voice. Naoko approached the door a few seconds later, unlocking it then opening it half-way. After she realized who it was, she grew concerned. "You weren't out all night, were you? I thought you'd just take half an hour or so to look around!"

Naruto chuckled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, that was the plan at first, but I had a revolution, err… resolution. No that's not the right word…"

"Revelation?"

"Yeah, that's it! I had a revelation! I have to train harder, I need to get stronger. I can't keep relying on others. What kind of man would I be if I couldn't protect those precious to me?"

Naoko sighed and shook her head playfully. "Okay, okay. I get it. Now come on in already." Naruto removed his sandals and entered the house. "I was just preparing breakfast. You'll have to sit tight for a bit before I'm finished." With that, Naruto's stomach growled ferociously. Laughing slightly, he plopped down on a pillow in front of a moderately sized chabudai.

"Whatcha makin'?" Naruto asked from across the room.

"Nothing special. Just chicken, rice and some veggies."

Naruto would have preferred ramen, but what Naoko was preparing seemed perfectly fine. He certainly couldn't complain. If it weren't for her he'd be starving. Naoko walked by and placed a glass of water on the table in front of Naruto. "Here, drink up." The boy smiled and accepted the drink graciously.

"You sure are nice, Naoko! Where's your husband, anyway? You are married, right? Why else would you be wearing that ring?"

The woman froze. While initially confused over her reaction, after a few moments Naruto realized his blunder. "I-I'm sorry! Sometimes I say really stupid things! That was inappropriate, wasn't it?" Naoko relaxed slightly and wiped a tear from her eye.

"It was a bit untactful, but I can't blame you for being curious." She poured the food into two bowls and joined Naruto. After placing both bowls on the table, she sat down and gently caressed her ring. "My husband disappeared without a trace 4 years ago. He's presumed dead, but I just won't believe that. I can't believe that!" Naruto's stomach growled again, and he gulped nervously. He was hungry, but he wasn't going to ruin the moment.

"I can feel it in my heart. I know he's out there, and I can't just give up on him because everyone else has! Can you understand, Naruto?" She looked at him pleadingly. He took a few moments to contemplate her question before he replied. "I-I don't really know. But I know that sometimes you gotta go with your gut, and if your gut says he's alive, then don't give up!" Naruto gave her a wide smile and a thumbs-up.

She wiped away some more tears and matched the boy's smile. She couldn't help it, that damn smile was contagious. After inwardly chiding herself for being so emotional, she clapped her hands together. "Now eat up! You can't get stronger on an empty stomach!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"And you're going to bathe when you're done eating. You stink!"

* * *

"Alright, Naruto. We'll be opening up shop in half an hour. First things first, I need you to sweep up. When you're finished with that, I have these," Naoko motioned to some boxes, "boxes that need to be unloaded. They're filled with merchandise, just check the price tags on the shelves and you'll know where everything belongs. Any questions?"

Naruto shook his head. "Great! Now hop to it!" Naruto toyed with the idea of using shadow clones to help out, but quickly reconsidered. Not wanting Naoko to know about his past just yet, he felt it best to keep his techniques to himself.

The shop wasn't particularly large. There were various shelves lined with all sorts of knick-knacks. Magazines covering all sorts of subjects from shinobi life, teen gossip, and hobbies such as hunting and fishing. One section was filled with little souvenirs and mementos, some of which Naruto presumed Naoko had made herself. What caught Naruto's attention above all else was the food section. The store didn't offer much, but it had what counted. Instant ramen.

"It may not be Ichiraku's, but I'll take what I can get."

"I hope you're not thinking of snatching those ramen packets. You've got to pay for them just like everyone else," Naoko said from across the check-out counter. The front of the counter was lined with shelves filled with all kinds of sweets.

"No ma'am! I guess I was just craving ramen is all. It is my favorite."

"Is that so? Maybe if you do a good job here, I'll take you to a local ramen stand I know."

Naruto pumped his fist in excitement. He opened his mouth to shout "YES!", but found himself unable to verbalize his excitement. _'That's what Iruka said when I was cleaning the Hokage monument…'_ Naruto's emotional 180 did not go unnoticed.

"I'm so sorry! Did I say something offensive?" She asked cautiously. The boy shook his head. "No, I'd love to eat ramen with you. It's just… what you said reminded me of someone back home." Naruto had made it clear the prior night that he wasn't comfortable talking about his past, so Naoko quickly muttered an apology and dropped the subject.

Hours later, in the late afternoon, business had winded down. Naoko approached Naruto and ruffled his hair. "You did good, Naruto. I know you said you were doing this to pay me back, but I'm still going to pay you. You've earned it." _'That and you don't even have any possessions or money. You need this more than I do, kid.'_

"What? I don't need any money!"

"Take it, Naruto. You being in good health is payback enough for me. You need money to buy more clothes, food, and equipment." She walked away and went upstairs only to return a few minutes later holding some cash. "Please don't be stubborn."

Naruto groaned. "Oh, alright. I'll take the stupid money." He reached his hand out and took the cash. The boy took some time to count it. "It's a little more than minimum wage. You're only a kid, and you're staying here with me. Seems pretty fair, don't you think?"

"More than fair. I still don't know why you've been so nice to me."

"That's just the way I and most other people in this village are, Naruto. We look out for one another, we care about each other. We're a very tight-knit community." Naoko shot him a smile and continued. "There's no way I or anyone else here could find a child passed out and just leave him to his own devices. I may not know you very well, but I don't want you to get hurt."

"I really lucked out passing out here, huh? Taeru isn't as big or exciting as my old village, but it's a lot nicer. I've only been here for two days, and it's already starting to feel like home." Naruto sighed wistfully. "So, are we still on for ramen?"

"You bet. I'm not ready to close shop just yet, so you can go and wander around for a bit. Just be back before 7." The blonde gave a salute and ran out of the shop.

' _I'm done being weak. I may have failed Iruka, but I won't let anything happen to you, Naoko.'_


	3. Chapter 3: Separation

**Chapter 3: Separation  
**

It had been a week since the forbidden scroll incident and Naruto's disappearance. Iruka had desperately wanted to go out and search for Naruto himself, but had duties in the village he had to fulfill. It was orientation for the newly graduated genin.

The scarred chūnin cleared his throat and addressed the class.

"EVERYBODY SHUT UP!"

The class immediately came to attention. Iruka smiled and began his speech.

"Now, as you know, genin are split into three-man cells and are assigned a jōnin sensei upon graduation. Throughout your career as a shinobi, all of you will face numerous challenges and hardships. Certain obstacles may seem impossible to overcome, but remember, you are not alone." Iruka folded his arms and continued.

"Never take your teammates for granted, they are your lifeline. Guard them with your life and they'll guard you with theirs. Despite what some of you may think, no man is an island."

Iruka picked up a sheet of paper from his desk and started perusing its contents. With a grunt, he began to speak. "I will now begin announcing the teams. Team 1 is comprised of…"

…

Later that day, Iruka found himself sitting alone at Ichiraku's. He stared idly at his bowl of ramen, swirling the noodles around with his chopsticks. "Iruka… are you just gonna play with your food, or are you gonna eat it?" Iruka looked up and locked eyes with the middle-aged owner of the ramen stand, Teuchi. "I'll eat it. I'm just taking my time."

Teuchi scratched his chin. "Where's Naruto, anyway? I haven't seen him around. You're his sensei, right? Surely you've seen him." The scarred man broke eye contact and returned to staring at his bowl. Iruka's reaction concerned the ramen chef, and he grew more serious. "Iruka. Did something happen to Naruto?"

"He… he ran away."

Crash. A ramen bowl fell to the ground, shattering on impact. This time, it was Ayame, Teuchi's teenage daughter who spoke up. "He ran away?! When? Is anyone looking for him? Why aren't _you_ looking for him?!"

"Settle down, Ayame. The boy is clearly distressed. Cut him some slack."

Iruka palmed his forehead. "It was because of me. I was too weak to protect him when it counted… I failed him."

"I wanted to go and look for him, but I couldn't. I was in the damn hospital, and even after leaving I still wasn't allowed! Lord Hokage made it very clear that my duties lie in the village, the academy." Teuchi patted the young man on the back and offered him a look of sympathy. "People are looking for him, right? Even if it's not you, that must be of some relief."

"Y-yes, a team of four jōnin were dispatched 6 days ago, but as of yet there's been no word on his whereabouts." Iruka slumped his shoulders and continued to stare at the bowl. "It took me awhile to realize, but he wasn't just my student. He was my _friend._ What's killing me is I know wherever he is, he thinks _he_ let _me_ down. But that couldn't be further from the truth."

"He's a good kid, Iruka. A great customer, too. It's unfortunate, but all we can really do is pray for his safety." Teuchi turned away and returned to his work. Ayame sighed and followed suit.

* * *

"Hey, Naruto! I've got some deliveries for you to make, the packages are over there," Naoko motioned towards a small stack of parcels, "and I've got the list of addresses along with who ordered what here," she finished as she handed Naruto a sheet of paper.

He quickly grabbed the parcels and in an instant, was out the door. 9 days had passed since the fateful day Naruto left the Leaf Village. It had taken a few days for the blonde to adjust to his new surroundings, but he had begun to see Taeru as his new home.

Naruto had never felt more at peace, more accepted as he was in Taeru. Villagers had treated with him kindness, there were no cold looks or insults. People didn't see him as a failure or a reject, they treated him as an ordinary boy. Most importantly, Naruto had found a great friend in Naoko. She would never replace Iruka, but he cared about her equally so.

Not wanting to let his fallen teacher's sacrifice be in vain, he fully dedicated his free time to training. Every night after finishing his work at the shop, he'd train until his body collapsed. Ninja or not, he was determined to become strong enough to protect Naoko and Taeru.

Over the course of his stay in his new home, he'd bought some new clothes. He still loved his old orange and blue get-up, but with his intense training and lack of spares, he needed other things to wear. He was currently wearing a simple white t-shirt and gray shorts; his trademark goggles were hanging around his neck. It wasn't exactly flashy, but it was comfortable enough.

Upon Naruto's departure, Naoko returned to her place behind the checkout counter. She had become quite attached to the boy. She had never had children of her own, and felt almost maternal about him. She wouldn't admit that to him of course, she'd only known him for little over a week. She didn't know how he'd react.

Naoko began to whistle and started tapping her fingers on the counter. It had been a slow day, and with the shop already tidied up, there wasn't much else to do. She was brought to attention by a jingling sound. The shop door opened revealing a tall man in standard Leaf jōnin wear. This took the woman by surprise, it wasn't often that shinobi visited the village in peacetime.

"Hello, young man!" She greeted. "Have you enjoyed your time in Taeru?"

He turned to face her and smiled. "It's a nice little village. I'm actually here on important business, would you mind answering a few questions?"

"Sure, I'd be glad to."

The jōnin was now in front of the counter, looking down on the woman. "That's great." He opened his back pouch and fumbled around for a few seconds before revealing a photograph.

"Have you seen this boy?"

She immediately tensed up. Spiky blonde hair, blue eyes, three whisker marks on each cheek. It was Naruto. Naoko quickly recomposed herself and replied. "Is there something important about this boy? Why would a jōnin travel such a distance in search of a child?" She decided to avoid answering the man's question. She didn't know Naruto's reason for leaving, but she assumed it was a good one.

"I'm not authorized to tell you anything personal about the boy. All I can say is that he was a final year shinobi academy student that escaped from the village 9 days ago."

' _A shinobi academy student? That explains why he's been so eager to train.'_

Naoko stared unblinkingly at the man. "I've never seen this boy before in my life."

The man scratched his chin and hummed. "That's odd. I've talked to a few other people around the village, and they all told me the boy in this very photo was spending an awful lot of time here. What's even odder, some even said he _worked_ here. Can you believe that?"

She fidgeted slightly. This reaction did not go unnoticed. The shinobi narrowed his eyes. "You aren't doing yourself any good by lying to me."

"I know nothing of the boy in that photo. Unless you have something to buy, I must ask you to leave. I don't allow loitering in my store."

Scowling, the man rested his hands in his pockets. He turned around and made his way to the front door, then turned back to face Naoko. "If you change your mind, I'll be staying at an inn on the other side of town. It's called 'The Little Sparrow,' do you know where it is?"

Silence was her only response.

"I'm sure you'll find it easily enough. Before I leave, I just have one more thing to say. I won't leave this village until I've found that boy."

Having said his piece, the man exited the shop. _'This is bad, Naruto's still out there delivering those parcels. What if he's caught?'_ She desperately wanted to go and find the boy, but she quickly perished the thought. The Leaf-nin was suspicious enough already.

' _Please come back safe, Naruto.'_

* * *

About half an hour later, Naoko heard another jingle. This time the door opened revealing none other than the blonde boy she had worried so much about. "I'm back! That didn't take too long. I'm really getting to know how this village is laid out." She sighed in relief and rushed over to the boy. Naoko grabbed Naruto's arm and dragged him upstairs.

"H-hey? What are ya doin'?"

Bringing the boy into the bedroom he had been sleeping in, she closed the door behind them and motioned for him to sit. Naruto gulped and sat on the bed, unsure of how to feel about Naoko's odd behavior.

"So, what's all thi-"

"A Leaf shinobi came by looking for you," She interrupted.

Naruto averted his gaze and balled his fists. Naoko put a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm the boy down. "I told him I had never seen you before." Naruto's eyes widened, and he relaxed his fists. He turned to look her straight in the eye.

"Why?"

She looked a little unsure of herself, but answered. "I don't know anything about your past, or why you left your village, but… I knew you must have had a good reason to do so."

He nodded slowly.

"He knows I'm lying. He asked around the village and knows you work here." Naruto started to silently panic. _'The shadow clones weren't enough. They still found me.'_

"I was fine not knowing before, but I think after all this, I deserve some kind of explanation. I do _not_ like lying, and I _hate_ being caught lying."

Naruto bit his lip. His mind raced as he thought of the possible reactions she'd have. _'Would she blame me for Iruka's death? Would she hate me for the fox like everyone else? Should I even tell her about the fox?'_

"Naruto, I trust you. Whatever you tell me, I can handle it."

Her sympathetic gaze helped soothe the boy. _'Here goes nothing.'_ He brought a fist to his mouth and cleared his throat. "I'll start from the beginning. Have you ever heard of the nine-tailed demon fox?"

"Y-yes, I know it attacked the Hidden Leaf 12 years ago. The fourth Hokage defeated it if I'm not mistaken."

"You're not. He did _defeat_ it, but he didn't _kill_ it. He had to seal it in something."

"He sealed it in something?"

"Well, more like someone. He sealed the fox into a newborn baby."

Naoko clasped her hands against her mouth. She had put two and two together and realized what Naruto was about to say.

"I (You) was (were) that baby," They both said at once.

"H-how did you figure that out?"

"Naruto… I'm not stupid. You're 12, the fox was defeated 12 years ago. The fox was sealed into a newborn. Why would you tell me this if you weren't the baby?"

"When you put it that way, I guess it was pretty obvious… S-so, do you hate me? Are you afraid of me?"

She stared incredulously, then after a few seconds began to chuckle. Before long, her chuckles grew into hysterics.

"H-hey! Don't laugh at me! I just told you something tragic and it's all a big joke to you?!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," She said between giggles. After giving herself a few moments to settle down, she continued. "I wasn't laughing at you or your situation, believe me. It's just… how could I ever hate or be afraid of you? You're one of the sweetest people I know. I know you're not the fox."

"Really? That's how you really feel?"

"Yes, Naruto. You're my friend, and I wouldn't ever hold something like that against you."

"That's a relief. I'm not done explaining things, though."

"Go on."

"Most of the village hated and feared me. At first, I didn't know why, but the day I ran away was when I found out. My academy teacher, _Mizuki,_ " He spat the name with as much venom as he could muster, "told me that I had a chance of graduating after I initially failed. He told me if I stole a forbidden scroll and learned one technique from it, I could graduate."

Naruto took a deep breath. "It turns out, he was just using me as a scapegoat. He was going to abandon the village himself after killing me and stealing the scroll for himself. If it hadn't have been for my other instructor, Iruka, I probably would've died."

At the mention of Iruka, Naruto began to sniffle. "Mizuki told me about the fox after trying to kill me. He and Iruka fought while I just… ran away. I eventually came to my senses and tried to help Iruka, but I was too late. Mizuki killed him."

Tears had already begun streaming down the boy's face. Naoko rubbed his back gently in an attempt to calm the boy.

"I was so angry. Not just at Mizuki, but at myself. I've been a failure my entire life, but failing never hurt as much as did that night. I felt a power, I think it was the fox's, it was so malicious. I used it to… k-kill Mizuki."

This revelation shocked Naoko. _'Naruto… killed someone?'_

"After coming to my senses, I realized I was the only one who knew what happened that night. How would it look if I stayed? The hated demon container who stole the forbidden scroll standing near two bodies… nobody would ever believe my story." Naruto wiped some tears from his face.

"It's not just that, either. That power I used. I could hardly control myself. What If I unleashed it on someone innocent? What if I hurt someone who didn't deserve it?"

In a moment that left Naruto completely shocked, Naoko embraced him. He hesitated for a few moments, but returned the hug. After a few minutes of sobbing, Naruto calmed down and broke the embrace.

"S-so, do you understand why I left?"

"I do, Naruto. No child should have to live in such a hateful environment. If I can help it, you won't ever go back unless you're completely willing."

"Thank you, Naoko. You're one of the best things that's ever happened to me."

"I could say the same about you. Since my husband's disappearance, it's like I've been going through the motions… not truly living. Since I met you, though, you've been like a ray of sunshine after a storm. I feel alive again."

Naruto blushed while he rubbed the back of his head. He looked to Naoko with a determined expression. "I want to help you find your husband."

The sudden declaration surprised the woman. "You don't have to do that, Naruto. You've done more than enough. You've been great company and a great help at the shop."

"No, it's not because I want to pay you back. It's because I know it's the right thing, and I know it will make you happy. I don't care how difficult finding him will be, if it makes you happy, I'll scour the entire continent if I have to."

She took his hands and clasped them in hers. "Thank you, Naruto."

"W-wait! The shop's still open! I have to get down there!" Naoko exclaimed.

Naruto shot up. "What about me?"

She gave the boy a hard look. "I… I don't think it's safe for you to stay here anymore."

"Are you serious?!"

"Dead serious. That shinobi is intent on bringing you back to the Leaf Village. Even if you manage to evade him, odds are he has backup somewhere nearby." The woman gently brushed a hand against the boy's cheek. "I know this is difficult, but you have to be strong."

"I don't want to run anymore. If I wasn't such a coward, Iruka would still be alive. I'll confront him myself."

"You can't! He's not going to listen to words! If you don't go with him willfully, he'll hurt you! You're a strong boy, Naruto, but you're still a child!"

Naruto ignored her and walked away. Naoko stared at the boy's back as he slowly faded out of view. He was stubborn, foolishly so. Minutes passed as she stood motionless; her heart beat grew ever rapid as she considered the possible outcomes of Naruto's actions. With a deep gulp, she flew down the stairs and darted out of the house, determined to help the boy in any way possible.

There on the dirt road outside of the store stood two figures facing each other. One, a young boy with spiky blonde hair, the other, an experienced shinobi. A man whose face and body language bore the experience of a lifetime of war and bloodshed. Naoko watched as the two stared in silence. The shinobi broke the silence.

"We've been looking for you for quite some time, Naruto. I'll admit, that trick you did with your shadow clones was quite impressive. If you had left the Land of Fire, we may never have found you." The man folded his arms. "Are you going to come peacefully? Or do I need to exercise force? If I deem it necessary, I _will_ knock you out without a second's warning."

Naruto spoke up. "I'm not going back. I don't expect you or anyone else to believe what I have to say about what happened. I've done nothing wrong. I've experienced the world outside of the Leaf, and I'm happy here. Just leave me alone!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Naruto. Lord Hokage's orders."

"I had a feeling you'd say that." The boy grit his teeth and formed a cross sign with his index fingers.

"MASSIVE SHADOW CLONE TECHNIQUE!" Naruto shouted as he summoned hundreds of clones. The jōnin was taken aback slightly, but quickly recomposed himself. "You have impressive chakra reserves, Naruto, but you can't defeat me with such a technique."

"You sure about that?" The clones asked in unison.

"HAREM TECHNIQUE!"

A huge cloud of smoke obscured the jōnin's vision, before fading and revealing hundreds of gorgeous, nude women. "Uhguhhh…" Was all the man managed to sputter out.

"You're so sexy, Mr. Shinobi!"

"Do you want to play with us, master?"

"Aww, look at him. He's so shy! Let's get closer!"

Within seconds the shinobi was enveloped by legions of naked women. His willpower finally crumbling, a huge stream of blood shot out of his nose, jetting the man backwards and rendering him unconscious. After another large puff of smoke, the women disappeared, revealing one Naruto Uzumaki standing triumphantly over the downed shinobi.

Naoko was conflicted. She had witnessed perhaps the most perverted and sexist technique in the history of mankind. But she had to admit, it was damn effective. She caught Naruto's attention by clearing her throat.

The blonde turned to face the woman and laughed nervously. "I'm not a pervert, I swear! I just use that technique to take out perverts! It dealt with _him_ alright, didn't it?" Naruto prodded the unconscious shinobi with his foot.

"That's not important right now, Naruto. What's important is you're safe. Now come inside and pack, it's still not wise for you to stay here."

"I told you I wasn't going to run anymore!"

"NARUTO!" The sudden outburst shocked both the boy and Naoko herself. "Enough with the tough guy act! You can't stay here! What if they send someone to get you while you're sleeping? What if they send someone who's immune to that stupid technique you used?"

She took a few moments to calm down slightly then continued. "Go inside and pack your things, _now_. I'll give you some extra cash in advance, so don't worry about that." Naruto glared at the woman. Her gaze was unflinching. He had never seen Naoko so serious.

Sighing in defeat, Naruto ran into the house to gather his things. After he had finished, he was startled by the soft touch of Naoko. She had her hand extended, and held a large sum of money. At least it seemed quite large to Naruto.

"This is about two weeks' worth of pay. Don't feel guilty about this, you need it far more than I do."

The boy nodded and stuffed the cash in his backpack.

"I think it would be wise if you used the transformation technique from here on out. Also, don't reveal any personal information about yourself to anyone, unless you're 100% sure you can trust them. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes ma'am!" Forming the ram seal, the boy shouted "TRANSFORM," and in a puff of smoke changed form. He was now slightly taller, and had shorter but still somewhat spiky dark brown hair. His whiskers were no longer visible, and his eyes were narrower; his pupils charcoal black. "You think this is good enough?" He asked in a slightly deeper, disguised voice.

She nodded as she stifled her tears. "I'm going to miss you," She said in a hushed whisper.

"I'll miss you too, Naoko. But we'll see each other again, right?"

"Definitely..."

"So, there's no reason to be sad, right? Before you know it, we'll be spending time together. And who knows, maybe your husband will be there, too!"

Before he knew what hit him, Naruto found himself locked in a powerful hug. He smiled and returned the embrace. The two stood silently for a few moments, holding each other and smiling. Minutes passed before they both simultaneously broke the embrace. Naoko readied herself to bid the boy farewell, but muttered something and ran upstairs.

This perplexed Naruto, and he waited for a short time before she returned. In her right hand she held a photograph with some writing scribbled on the back. Naoko gently placed the picture in Naruto's hands.

"My husband… I wrote some important details about him on the back of the photo. Please don't try too hard looking for him. You have to look out for yourself, first and foremost."

"Thank you. I'll find him and return him to you, I promise."

"Naruto, please don't make promises unless you're sure you can keep them."

He smiled confidently. "I never go back on my word. It's not my ninja way, 'cause I'm not a ninja, but it's just the way I am!"

Naoko returned his smile and led him outside. "Now hurry up and get out of here! That shinobi could wake up any second!"

The two took a few seconds to look the other down. Naruto never wanted to forget the woman who had been so kind to him. He shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to leave, but not before whispering: "Goodbye, Naoko."

With a bittersweet smile, Naoko wiped a tear from her face. "Goodbye, Naruto," she whispered back, and in a blur, the boy disappeared.


	4. Chapter 4: Providence

**Chapter 4: Providence  
**

Somewhere in the vast forests of the Land of Fire, three Leaf jōnin waited patiently. The group of shinobi had chosen a small clearing with a large, moss covered boulder as a rendezvous. Not far from the boulder was a long stream that stretched for miles. Carved on the boulder was a lone kanji symbol, 葉, meaning "Leaf."

The three jōnin had waited for nearly half an hour before their teammate graced them with his presence. In a swirl of leaves, the fourth jōnin appeared atop a tree branch. A nervous expression adorned the shinobi's face.

"Uh, hey guys. Sorry I'm late." The man jumped off the branch to greet his teammates. After exchanging a few pleasantries and a few outcries of "You're late!", the team proceeded with their meeting. The first to speak was one of the original three; an average sized man with light brown hair.

"So far I've had no luck tracking him down. No traces of any clothing or equipment the boy may have had on him, nor any eyewitness accounts."

Two other jōnin nodded and expressed having a similar lack of results. The three turned to face their tardy companion, and gave him expectant looks. The late man rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Well, it's a funny story…"

After regaling the team of his exploits in Taeru and his confrontation with Naruto, the man was greeted with dead silence. Minutes passed as the three stared incredulously at the man. It wasn't until a small bird flew off that the silence was broken.

"So, let me get this straight. You found the boy…"

"Yes."

"Had him within reach and could've easily incapacitated him…"

"Yep."

"And you let him use this 'Harem Technique' without so much as lifting a finger?"

"What can I say? I underestimated the boy."

A different jōnin spoke up. "That's not even the worst part! Didn't it cross your mind to inform him that he wasn't guilty? Lord Hokage presumed the reason the boy ran was out of fear that he'd be blamed for the death of his two instructors. But Iruka survived and everyone's already been made aware of Mizuki's crimes."

"To be fair, Lord Hokage specified that no civilian was authorized to know any of that information. There was a woman nearby that he'd been spending time with. And you know me, I'm always a stickler for protocol."

All three of the other jōnin let out a collective sigh. This man had the perfect opportunity to return the boy and end their mission, and he failed spectacularly. The jōnin with light brown hair cleared his throat and spoke. "We won't leave this out of the mission report. I expect there'll severe repercussions from Lord Hokage when we return."

Numerous glares were exchanged, all except one directed towards the late shinobi. Said late shinobi sighed pitifully then spoke. "Okay, okay. I know I screwed up. Let's put that aside for now and set a plan of action. We should all head to Taeru and split up from there. It's only been a day; the boy couldn't have gone far."

The plan was met with three separate nods, and all four shinobi flickered off into the trees.

* * *

It was the third night after Naruto's departure from Taeru. He had recently arrived in a town by the name of Setsuri. Setsuri was a rapidly expanding city; Its main draw a large casino which had only been finished a few months prior. From what Naruto could gather, the town had been quite poor for many decades, until a rich businessman had arrived around two years ago.

Maikeiru was his name. Very little was known about this man or how he'd attained his wealth. Maikeiru began investing in numerous business ventures around town and eventually began to monopolize almost the entire town's industry. While the town's economy and trade flourished, many small businesses were put to rest. Poverty and crime rates had increased to alarmingly high levels.

There were also rumors of supposed gang activity involving Maikeiru. While no conclusive evidence had ever been brought to light, many whispers permeated throughout the town. Gangs had apparently been utilized to intimidate local businesses into either selling or closing down. Illicit drug trade was on the rise as well. None could or rather _would_ substantiate Maikeiru's involvement in these behaviors; his power and influence had grown to such levels that he was completely untouchable.

Naruto didn't know how he'd go about it, but he figured he'd find someway to put a stop to Maikeiru. He gathered his thoughts as he walked down the town's dark, mucky streets. Naruto could see the man's name plastered all over the city, on billboards, business signs. The mere sight of the man infuriated the boy.

The blonde scowled as he passed the famous casino. He had to admit, the size of it was quite impressive. Regardless, he hated everything it stood for. Naruto was snapped out of his thoughts after witnessing a man accosting two women. One, a striking blonde woman with brown eyes, who wore a green coat and sported some impressive _assets._ The other, a slightly taller woman with medium length black hair. She wore a blue kimono and was holding a… pig?

Stumbling towards the two women, clearly drunk, the man grabbed the blonde woman by the arms. "Please, lady. Can ya spare some cash? My family hasn't eaten in days! We need this!"

Noticing the strong stench of booze emanating from the man, the woman scowled. "You haven't eaten in days, but I see that hasn't stopped you from getting piss drunk. What would your _family_ think of that?" He let go of her and fumbled through his pockets. The drunk grinned triumphantly and brandished a knife.

"I never like hurting a pretty lady, but if you won't give up your cash nicely, I have no choice." The blonde woman's response was a raised eyebrow, followed by a scoff.

"Try anything and I'll break every bone in your body."

Before the woman or man could do anything, Naruto jumped into the fray. "How dare you threaten innocent women! You'll rue the day you turned to crime after I, uh…" The boy took a few seconds to come up with a cover name. "…Noriaki Yuasa, kick your sorry ass!"

Scowling, the woman turned to the boy. "Buzz off, kid. I can handle this." A tick mark appeared on "Noriaki's" forehead. "That's not how you speak to the guy that's about to save your life, lady!" She let out a chortle.

"You? Save _my_ life? You're just a weak little kid, run along before you get yourself hurt."

Annoyed by the two ignoring him, the drunk butted in. "Hey! I'm still here you know! I think I'll see what's in that brown-haired kid's backpack first." The blonde woman folded her arms and smirked. "Let's see how you handle yourself, kid." Her assistant was considerably more worried, and was about to deal with the man herself before the blonde woman held her back.

"Just wait a sec," The shorter woman whispered. "I want to see if he has any bark to back up that bite." The black-haired woman gulped. Why must her master make things so difficult?

"You take one more step and you'll have to go to a doctor to remove my foot from your ass." The drunk grunted and lunged forward, but was brought to a quick halt when the boy delivered a fierce uppercut to the man's jaw. The drunk was hurdled back a few yards, and with a loud cracking noise, was knocked out cold as his body crashed against the concrete road.

"I have to admit, for a brat you pack quite the punch. You're pretty quick, too."

Naruto blushed at the woman's praise and began to flex his muscles. The blonde scoffed at this while her assistant lightly giggled.

"Who are you ladies, anyway? You know my name," _'My fake name at least.'_ "so, you can at least give me your names. I did save your lives after all."

"Kid, you didn't save anyone's life. Shizune and I could've dealt with that loser before you could even blink."

He stuck out his tongue. "Then why didn't you? I saw you, you were too scared to even move. You should be on your knees thanking me!"

The blonde cracked her knuckled and slowly approached the boy. "Lady Tsunade, please! He's just a boy, don't do anything rash!"

"Butt out, Shizune. Now kid, do I need to prove how much stronger I am than you? Or are you going to scurry off like a good little boy?"

Naruto raised his fists and glared at her. "I'll take you on any place, any time."

"Well then, I'll guess we'll fight right here." Tsunade took a few steps back and raised her right index finger. "I'll take you out using one finger," She gloated.

"Don't you dare underestimate me!" Naruto sped off and fired a punch aimed directly at the woman's head, but she gracefully sidestepped. The boy twisted his body and sent a left hook to Tsunade's stomach, but once again she dodged effortlessly. Before he could even blink, her fist was poised directly in front of his forehead, her thumb held back her index finger, and then…

 _Flick_.

Naruto was sent flying and would've met a similar fate as the drunk if not for Shizune, who quickly ran to catch him. "Still think I was scared, kid?" The boy removed himself from Shizune's grip and rubbed his forehead. He stared silently at Tsunade for a few seconds, then smiled.

"Train me!"

"Where the hell did that come from?"

"You're super strong, and I'm sure the girl who caught me is really strong, too. If I keep training by myself, I'll never improve! I need to get stronger."

Tsunade looked at the boy quizzically. "Why do you need to get stronger?" Naruto didn't miss a beat. "So, I can protect those precious to me. I let down my closest friend because I was too weak. I never want that to happen again."

She gawked at the boy. He reminded her of _them._ What was next? Was he going to declare his desire to become Hokage? That would be ridiculous, the boy wasn't even a ninja. Shizune offered her master a sympathetic gaze. She could tell what was on Tsunade's mind.

"So, are you gonna train me?"

Taking a few moments to answer, Tsunade finally replied. "No. Find someone else to train you. Shizune, get Tonton. We're leaving." Shizune muttered a few quick apologies to the boy and picked up the pig before following her master. Naruto stared as they disappeared into the darkness. He sighed as he continued to rub his forehead.

"Damn, she's on an entirely different level."

Naruto made two promises to himself that night. He would free Setsuri of Maikeiru's oppressive influence, and he would find a way to surpass the woman who humiliated him. Feeling a burning sensation in his gut, the boy punched his palm and grinned wildly. He wasn't about to let this fiasco damper his spirits.

With a determined fire in his eyes, Naruto set off to the outskirts of town. He would surpass that Tsunade woman, even if it meant training until every muscle gave out on him.

* * *

Later that same night, the two women Naruto had met sat in silence. The two shared a room at a local inn and were only staying in town until the next night. The mood was tense, not even Tonton dared to utter a noise. The small pig sat in a small corner of the room, her eyes darted back and forth between the two women.

Deciding to break the agonizing silence, Shizune started. "That was very irresponsible what you did out there."

Tsunade feigned ignorance and shrugged. "I did a few irresponsible things today, Shizune. You're gonna have to be more specific."

"You let that boy fight that drunk without any idea of how he'd handle himself. If he were any regular child, he could've been severely hurt or worse."

"I was ready to step in at a moment's notice. If he couldn't handle himself, I wouldn't just stand back and let him die. I might've let him take a few punches, though."

Shizune sighed in exasperation. "Not only that, but you fought him! What kind of 50-year-old woman gets in fights with teenage boys! Especially over something so juvenile!"

"I wasn't going to sit back and let that brat call me a coward. He got what was coming to him!"

"You could've at least acted like an adult, Lady Tsunade! Why did you feel the need to prove yourself to him anyway? What good does that do you?"

"I was teaching him a life lesson. The world's a harsh place. Arrogant loudmouths like him can't stay that way forever. Better he gets beat down by someone willing to spare him than an enemy, hmm?"

Tsunade's dark haired assistant shook her head in frustration. She truly cared about her master, Tsunade was like a mother to her. But the blonde could just be so childish, petty and irresponsible. "Aren't you worried about him? Even a little?"

"Why should I worry? He handled himself okay against that thug, he was just unlucky he happened to get into a tiff with one of the sannin." Tsunade laid down in one of the beds before she continued. "Even if he couldn't handle himself, what problem is that of mine? He's not my son or anything. I can't take responsibility for every little street urchin that crosses my path."

"You paused for a while after he asked you to train him. Did you actually consider it?"

The blonde snorted. "Hell no, I was just surprised by the question. Why do you care so much about the damn kid, anyway?"

"It's just… he sort of reminds me of someone we both know. Or rather, both _knew_." Tsunade didn't respond. "With that declaration of wanting to protect his precious people… he almost seemed like a young uncle Dan." The older woman simply turned away.

"He reminded you of uncle Dan too, didn't he?"

"Shizune…" Tsunade whispered between grit teeth, "shut up and go to sleep or leave. Either way, turn off the light."

Shizune stood up and turned the light off before leaving in silence. The blonde grasped her necklace and began thumbing its crystals. Tsunade fiddled around with the heirloom for a few more moments before sighing and getting out of bed. She opened the door of a nearby drawer and retrieved a bottle of sake.

' _Damn brat, making me drink.'_


	5. Chapter 5: Improve

**Chapter 5: Improve  
**

Naruto panted heavily as he exchanged blows with his shadow clones. He had been training for six hours straight. Each muscle in his body screamed for him to quit, but he would not give in. With a grunt, he dispelled a clone with a fierce punch to the cheek. Turning around, he came face to face with another 3 clones and quickly found himself on the defense.

After blocking numerous punches, jabs and kicks, he eliminated another clone with a kick to the jaw. A clone managed to sneak in a punch to the boy's stomach. This winded Naruto and left him open to more blows. Naruto was laying on the ground panting, his two other clones standing over him triumphantly. With a roar, he shot up and took out one clone with a headbutt. He grabbed the other clone and threw it into a large bush.

The boy expected the characteristic "poof" sound and cloud of smoke, but was caught by surprise when heard a woman yelping. Mustering what little energy he had left, Naruto darted to the bush to investigate. Pushing a few branches aside, he saw none other than the black-haired woman he had met earlier, clutching her stomach.

"Hey, are you alright?"

She yelped in surprise and quickly nodded. "I'm okay. I was just sleeping, and that clone hit hard. You're quite strong."

Naruto plopped down near the woman and started panting heavily. "No, I'm not. That lady you were with, she's strong. I'm nothing compared to her."

"Oh! About Lady Tsunade… I know I apologized earlier, but I wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings. She has a temper, but she's not a malicious woman. She's just a little… rash."

He stared blankly at Shizune. "You mean she's a bitch."

"Don't you ever address Lady Tsunade that way! She has her flaws, but she's a great woman and deserves the utmost respect!" Naruto winced at her reaction. Shizune immediately felt guilty about her outburst.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to blow up like that. Please, let me heal you."

"Heal me? How?"

She giggled. "I'm a medical ninja, and I was trained by the best." The raven-haired woman moved her palms toward the boy's chest. Naruto's eyes widened when her hands were enveloped by a green glow. He had never witnessed such a technique before.

"This is the Mystical Palm Technique. Using my chakra, I can heal wounds and relax muscle tension." Naruto immediately felt a tickling sensation, but relaxed as he felt his muscles loosen. He inspected Shizune's face, attempting to detect her emotions. She showed deep concern for him, and this confused the boy. Why was she so different from her master? Hell, why was she even here?

"I don't know why you're healing me. I'm the one who hurt you…"

"It wasn't anything serious, Noriaki. Besides, you're exhausted. It's not a good idea to overexert yourself to such a degree."

' _Noriaki? What the he- oh yeah, that's the fake name I used.'_

"This is nothing. I've always had a lot of stamina. Even when I push myself till I collapse, I always feel 100% the next day!"

Shizune gasped in amazement at how fast "Noriaki" had healed. _'I know the Mystical Palm is effective, but he's almost as good as new!'_ The green glow surrounding her hands faded. She dusted the boy's shirt slightly before bringing her hands to her knees.

"So, uh… why were you hanging out in the bushes anyway?"

She sputtered nervously. Shizune's reaction amused Naruto, and he laughed at the display. The woman blushed and cleared her throat. "To tell the truth, I wasn't actually looking for you. I was wondering around town, trying to clear my head and eventually found myself in the forest. When I stumbled upon you training, I wanted to talk about what happened, but you were so focused. I decided to wait until you were finished, but you just kept going. I guess I fell asleep waiting until you woke me up with that clone." Shizune scratched her chin upon mentioning the clone.

"How do you know the Shadow Clone Technique anyway? That's a ninja technique, and a forbidden one at that."

"Well, er… I had a friend who used to be a shinobi. He was from the Hidden Leaf. He mostly taught me the basics, but because I had so much trouble with the basic Clone Technique, he thought I might have an easier time with this one."

"Really? Given the number of clones you can make, and how much stamina you have, I'm not surprised you had trouble with basic clones. Did your friend teach you any chakra control exercises?"

"Cha-kra… you mentioned that earlier when you were talking about that Mystical Palm thingy. What is it?" Shizune face-faulted. "You know how to use ninja techniques, but you don't know what chakra is? How poor of a teacher was your friend?"

"Don't you dare say anything bad about my friend! He taught me everything I know about being a ninja! I'm the one who's to blame. I was always a slacker and a poor listener."

"I'm sorry, Noriaki. I didn't mean any offense." Shizune cleared her throat. "Chakra is the spiritual and physical energy that is present in all human life. Ninja mold chakra to use their techniques. Good chakra control is necessary to properly execute most techniques. When inexperienced, you can accidentally over or undercharge a technique, either of which could lead to disastrous results."

Naruto had his thumb and index finger poised beneath his chin and nodded.

"You want to get stronger to protect those precious to you. I think that's a noble goal. I won't be in this town for long, so I won't be able to train you. I can however, teach you a technique that will help you out."

"Really? You'll teach me a technique? What kind of technique? Will you teach me to spit out a huge fireball?"

"No, Noriaki," She said between giggles. "But what I'll teach you may help you use techniques like that. It's called the tree climbing exercise."

"Tree climbing exercise? I already know how to climb trees!" Naruto watched as Shizune slowly got up and walked towards a tree. His jaw nearly hit the ground when he witnessed the woman defy gravity and walk up the tree.

"This is the tree climbing exercise." Upon reaching the top of the tree, Shizune leapt off in a somersault, and landed gracefully. She explained to Naruto the process of gathering chakra to the feet, stressing that he had to use a certain amount. He couldn't use too little or he'd never stick, and he couldn't use too much, or he'd break a hole into the tree and lose balance.

She handed the boy a kunai. "Use this to mark your progress." Naruto nodded and readied himself for the exercise.

Shizune watched patiently as the boy tried desperately to run up the tree, only to fail time and time again. The woman was amazed by the boy's determination. No matter how many times he failed, he'd simply scowl defiantly and try again. An hour passed before Shizune nodded off. Naruto had made some progress, but he had yet to make it up even a quarter of the way.

Naruto stopped for a moment to ponder what he should do. He didn't know where she was staying, so he couldn't bring her there. She was obviously tired, so he couldn't just wake her up and tell her to walk back to wherever she was staying either. Coming to a decision, Naruto walked over to the clearing where he began his initial training session and retrieved his backpack.

He returned to Shizune with his backpack and a blanket in tow, and gently wrapped the blanket around her. She fidgeted slightly, but then smiled. Naruto smiled softly in return, and soon found himself staring at the woman. The sweet little moment lasted for a few minutes before realization crept into the boy's mind. He slapped himself out of his stupor then shook his head.

' _Gotta get back to training!'_

* * *

A loud yawn caught the attention of a certain transformed blonde. He twitched one eye open and gazed down upon the source of the noise. Shizune had stirred and was beginning to awaken. Naruto grinned weakly. The boy was half asleep and exhausted beyond belief, but was proud. He had managed to make it to the top of the tree.

It had taken him hours and hours, and countless failed attempts to get the exercise down. By the time he had finally reached the top, he had been too exhausted to even move. He simply sat, perched on the top branch of the tree, patiently awaiting Shizune's awakening.

Said woman stretched and rubbed her eyes, before slowly opening them. She looked around and noticed she was still in the forest surrounding Setsuri. The warm blanket wrapped around did not go unnoticed either. _'Where did this come from?'_ Shizune wondered to herself.

"Hey, Shizune! I did it!" Naruto exclaimed with slightly less enthusiasm than normal.

Shizune's eyes nearly burst from her sockets. "Noriaki" had finished the exercise in only a matter of hours. His clothes were tattered and dirtied, not to mention the sorry state of his body. He had bits of grass and twigs in his hair, his face arms and legs were covered in bruises and dirt marks.

"N-Noriaki… how long were you training?"

"Heh, heh, I don't really know. You were asleep for a long time and I didn't finish too long ago."

"Noriaki," Shizune started, her voice faltering from scolding to concern, "what you've done is incredibly foolish. You're most likely suffering from severe chakra exhaustion! If you don't get some help now, you could die!"

"But I finished the exercise," Naruto gave a half-smirk, "aren't you proud of m-" The boy couldn't finish before his body final succumbed to exhaustion. He slumped over and began to fall. Shizune panicked and rushed to catch him. What took the woman by surprise was the person she caught was not Noriaki.

There in Shizune's arms was a spiky-haired blonde child, with three whisker marks on each cheek. _'He was using the Transformation Technique? But why?'_ The woman couldn't help but feel an odd sense of déjà-vu when she examined the boy. _'Now that I think of it, he looks a little like… No, that can't be right.'_

Shizune shook her head before gently placing the blonde on the ground. Her hands glowed green once again as she began to heal the boy. Despite her concern, she truly was proud of the boy. His determination and stamina were truly amazing. After she was finished healing Naruto, she brushed the mess out of his hair then dusted off the boy's clothes.

She packed the blanket the boy had given her in his backpack, before strapping on said backpack. Shizune proceeded to pick Naruto up in a bridal carry. _'I'm sorry Lady Tsunade, but I can't just leave the boy out here alone.'_

The raven-haired women had taken her time returning to the Inn. She knew if she ran too fast, she'd risk disturbing the boy. Shizune was also nervous as to how her master would react. Would she be angry? Would she kick the boy out? Putting those thoughts aside, she opened the door to Tsunade's and her room, and was greeted by the sight of her master passed out on the floor.

Noticing an opened sake bottle, Shizune sighed. Her master's drinking habits had grown quite worrisome over the years. Not to mention her troubles with gambling and debt. Tonton had awoken by the sound of the door opening and happily greeted Shizune with an oink. The woman smiled at the pig before gently placing Naruto on one of the beds.

Shizune moved to pick up Tsunade. The blonde woman was snoring rather loudly which made her assistant giggle slightly. She placed Tsunade on the other bed, making sure to turn her head to the side. Returning to Naruto, she brushed one of his cheeks slightly, and smiled when the boy's face twitched slightly.

' _To think this boy kept up his transformation through all that training… He's something special.'_

She wrapped the sheets and blanket around the boy. Glancing back at her master, she sighed and proceeded to do the same for her. The woman then sat down on the floor and leaned against a drawer. Tonton rushed over to her and leapt into Shizune's arms. The dark-haired woman began petting the pig, all the while mentally rehearsing how she was going to explain everything to Tsunade.

Having gone over multiple scenarios in her head, Shizune removed Naruto's backpack and stood up. Her eyes darted to a clock on one of the walls.

11:42AM

Shizune grimaced at the thought of waking her master. Tsunade was a known grumpy sleeper, and that was when she was sober. Waking the blonde while she had a hangover was practically a death sentence for most people. Thankfully for Shizune, she was not most people. Tsunade would grumble and complain, she'd hurl insults; however, she had never physically hurt Shizune. Not outside of training, at least.

The dark-haired woman grabbed her master by the shoulders and gently shook her. A few seconds of shaking later, Tsunade's bloodshot eyes shot open. "Shizune…" The elder woman's voice was hushed, but nonetheless laced with venom, "what did I tell you about waking me up?"

"To, uh… never do it?"

Tsunade sat herself up, her icy gaze never leaving Shizune. "And what did I tell you about waking me up after a night of drinking?"

"To stay as far away from you as possible until I'm absolutely sure you're awake and no longer hungover."

"So, your memory isn't failing you. Then tell me…" Tsunade inhaled, "WHY THE HELL DID YOU WAKE ME UP?!" Shizune stumbled back from the outburst and fell flat on her back. Naruto stirred slightly from the sudden disturbance, but remained asleep. The blonde woman continued to glare daggers at her assistant, until she noticed a young boy in the other bed.

Tsunade blinked twice then rubbed her eyes. Sighing in exasperation, she started rubbing her temples. "Would you mind telling me what a strange boy is doing in our room?" A nervous gulp was Shizune's first response, followed by some inaudible muttering.

"Speak up!"

"You remember that boy from last night? Um, this is him."

The blonde woman squinted while looking the boy over. "It may just be because I'm hungover, but that doesn't look like the kid I saw last night."

"He was using the Transformation Technique. I don't know why, I couldn't ask him because the transformation lapsed after he fell unconscious."

"So, you decided to knock some sense into the brat, huh? Not so above it all, are you Shizune?"

"Wha-what? I did nothing of the sort! I happened to find the boy while he was training is all. He was working very hard."

"Is the boy a ninja? He was definitely stronger than the average civilian, and if he knows the Transformation Technique…"

"He told me he had a friend who was an ex-Leaf shinobi. That might be a cover story, though." Tsunade nodded. "Sounds pretty suspect. If he is a ninja, he can't be any higher than a genin. He has some decent speed and strength, but he lacks the brains and skill of a chūnin."

"His chakra reserves must be ridiculously high. I saw him summon a considerable amount of Shadow Clones and spar with them." Tsunade raised an eyebrow. She had to admit, that was quite impressive. "By the time he passed out, he'd been training for at least half a day straight."

"Half a day straight? You can't be serious, Shizune! He'd be dead if that was the case."

"I'm completely serious. And, uh…" Shizune drifted off a bit, unsure of how to tell her master what she had taught the boy. "Spit it out!" Tsunade demanded. "I, um… taught him the tree walking exercise."

"You… taught _him._ After I specifically told him I wasn't going to train him, you went behind my back a trained him." Shizune frantically waved her hands in front of her. "I didn't train him! I just gave him a little pointer. Nothing more, nothing less!"

"So that's what he was spending all that time training for then?"

"Actually, he'd already been training for hours before I even talked to him. I wasn't going to teach him anything at first because he seemed so exhausted. But after only a few minutes of healing he was completely replenished! I don't know if it's a bloodline limit, but the boy heals amazingly fast."

"Uh-huh. How much progress has he made with the tree climbing exercise? If his chakra reserves are as high as you think, he must have struggled with that one."

"He actually completed it! It was unbelievable! I dozed off about an hour after he started, and he hadn't gotten very far. But when I woke up, there he was at the top, completely worn out."

"To make so much progress in just a day… he must be quite the prodigy." Shizune shook her head at the blonde's assumption. "He's certainly talented, but what he achieved wasn't because of that. In just the hour or so I watched him climb that tree, he failed more times than I could count. No matter how many times he fell, he got back up and tried again. He succeeded because he was determined, not because he's a prodigy."

"I must say, Shizune. You certainly have a lot to say about the boy. You don't _like_ him, do you?" Shizune scoffed indignantly. "Honestly, Lady Tsunade. He's a child! To make such insinuations…" Tsunade chuckled and rubbed her forehead. "Relax, I was just kidding. You're just too easy to rile up. You need to stop being so uptight."

"I'll stop being 'uptight' when you stop being childish." Her master simply snorted.

"I haven't changed my mind about training him."

"I can't say I'm surprised. It's a shame though, he's a nice boy and he clearly has a lot of potential."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he slept for the rest of the day… Tell you what, I'll pay for an extra night and let him sleep here. After that, he's on his own again. Consider that my way of making up to him for what happened last night."

"That seems fair." Shizune smiled. Her master could be a handful, but deep down she was a good woman. Life had not been kind to Tsunade, and no one besides the blonde herself knew that as well as Shizune.

"So, is that backpack his?" Tsunade pointed towards it. Shizune nodded, then recognized a familiar smirk on her master's face. The raven-haired women glared at her disapprovingly. "You're not going to look through his belongings."

"Aw, come on, Shizune! Aren't you a little curious about who he really is?"

"I'm not going to violate his privacy, and neither are you."

"You're such a killjoy." Tsunade blew a few strands of hair covering her eyes. "Well, whatever. I still have some gambling to do, so let's blow this joint!"

With that, the blonde sannin left. The dark-haired woman grabbed a pen and pad from one of the nightstands. She took her time as she scribbled a message, and ripped it off to place on the boy's backpack. Shizune then grabbed Tonton; the small pig squealed in delight at the woman's embrace. Sliding the door open, she gently whispered "sleep tight," as she offered the blonde one final look before leaving to join her master.


	6. Chapter 6: Clarity

**Chapter 6: Clarity  
**

' _Am I dead?'_

The last thing Naruto remembered was passing out. He knew he had been exhausted, but that wasn't what concerned him. What concerned him was the fact that he passed out while atop a considerably large tree. Naruto groaned as he rubbed his eyes. Slowly opening them, he quietly observed the room he now occupied.

He was in the room of an inn. There were two modestly sized beds, large enough to hold any single person, as well as few drawers and a small table accompanied by two chairs. Naruto looked to the nightstand adjacent to his bed; his backpack was slumped against it. What caught the boy's attention was a small note attached to the top of the backpack. He quickly grabbed the note and began to read its contents.

 _Dear Noriaki,_

 _After you passed out from exhaustion, I brought you here. This is the room Tsunade and I had been staying since our arrival in Setsuri. Please don't overexert yourself like that again. If I wasn't there to catch you, you probably would have died! To be strong, a person must train diligently, but one must also accept their limits. I know I'm partially to blame; knowing your enthusiasm, I should've known you'd continue training after I fell asleep._

 _Despite my concern, I am proud of you. Making it to the top of that tree was no easy feat, you completely surpassed all my expectations. I know you'll make a very strong man one day. Remember to keep practicing the Tree Climbing exercise. You won't have completely mastered it until you can stay standing for hours without conscious effort. Also, keep in mind the practical appliances of this skill. With what you've learned, you should be able to channel chakra into different parts of your body, augmenting your speed and strength._

Naruto chuckled as he began to imagine what Shizune might be like as an instructor back at the academy. The thought of her as some stereotypical bespectacled teacher, snapping a pointer against a blackboard amused the boy. _'Hmm… Come to think of it, Shizune would look pretty cute in glasses.'_

The boy blinked twice and shook his head. _'I did not just think that.'_

 _Moreover, Tsunade has graciously agreed to pay for an extra night, so you can stay in the inn until tomorrow night. I told you she's not a bad person, deep down she's a very caring individual. In case you're suspicious, neither of us went through any of your belongings. I don't know why you felt the need to keep up that transformation, but my master and I would never violate your privacy._

"Wait… she knows about the transformation! How could I be so careless!" Naruto squeezed his cheeks in frustration. "She did say she didn't go through my stuff. I hope she wasn't lying." The blonde dismissed the thought. Shizune was nice, she wouldn't lie like that, right?

 _I must finish writing this soon. No doubt Lady Tsunade is waiting for me. I sincerely hope we'll cross paths again in the future. With enough hard work, I'm certain you have the potential to surpass I and even Lady Tsunade._

 _Shizune_

"Gee, she sure wrote a lot. It's really nice to know she cares, though." Naruto gently folded the note and placed it in his backpack. To most people, the gesture wouldn't have meant much, but to Naruto, the message was proof that someone had acknowledged him. Was Shizune his friend? The boy wasn't completely sure, but he'd make sure they were if he ever saw her again.

Naruto sprung to his feet. Bringing his index fingers together to form the ram sign, he transformed into "Noriaki." "Alright! I've gotta keep practicing tree climbing. I need to be as strong as possible If I wanna take out Maikeiru!" He strapped on his backpack and rushed out of the room.

 _With enough hard work, I'm certain you have the potential to surpass I and even Lady Tsunade._

The words repeated over and over in Naruto's head. Shizune believed in him, and he wasn't going to let her down.

After he left the inn, Naruto looked to the sky. It was late. With his new extreme training regiment, Naruto's sleep schedule had grown completely erratic. His thoughts strayed to other matters as he heard his stomach growl. Roaming around town, the boy eventually found a small ramen stand, not unlike Ichiraku's.

Naruto was surprised. He had heard that virtually all independent businesses had failed due to Maikeiru's monopolization of Setsuri's industry. Maybe he'd bring up a few words about it after he ordered something.

"Hey! One large miso and one large pork, please!"

"Comin' right up, kid."

Naruto waited patiently as the chef prepared his food, ignoring the violent grumblings erupting from his stomach. The boy coughed, figuring now would be a good time to start up some small-talk.

"So, how's business going?"

The man grunted. Naruto eyed the man's face and could tell he was distressed. "We still get customers here and there, but Maikeiru's been putting some serious pressure on the business. I figure the only reason I'm still in business is because he doesn't see me as too much of a threat, but I can tell he wants me out of the way."

"I'm not from around here, but from what I've heard, this Maikeiru sounds like a piece of work." The ramen chef grunted again before replying. "Piece of work? That's the understatement of the century. He's completely steamrolled through this town and made it his own personal empire. Look around you, this town's mere existence is no more than a vessel for the man's massive ego!"

"Why haven't any shinobi villages involved themselves?"

"Those villages ain't charity organizations. Only the people on Maikeiru's payroll can afford to hire shinobi, and even if us little guys banded together to hire some, it wouldn't be enough." The man had finished preparing Naruto's ramen and placed the two bowls in front of him. Naruto said his thanks before devouring the meal before him.

"You like it, huh?"

"Wha- yeah, it'sh great!" The boy spat out, his mouth half-full. After finishing his first bowl, Naruto asked another question. "What was Setsuri like before Maikeiru came along?"

The ramen chef looked thoughtful. He scratched his chin slightly before answering. "Poor. But despite that, us townsfolk still had our dignity. We didn't have the troubles with gangs and drugs like we do now!"

Naruto nodded slowly as he slurped a few noodles. The boy couldn't think of an appropriate response, so he simply watched the chef wash some dishes as he ate. After a few awkward minutes of silence, Naruto finished his ramen.

"Sorry if my questions brought up bad memories."

"Think nothing of it. I was glad I had someone to have an honest talk with."

The currently brown-haired boy placed some cash on the counter and thanked the man. Feeling fully satiated, Naruto ran off into the outskirts of town again. The people of Setsuri were in luck, the boy thought. They may not have had the money to hire shinobi, but Naruto was certain he was the next best thing.

' _I don't think I'm strong enough just yet, but give me some time. I promise I'll help you guys out!'_

* * *

 _FLASHBACK_

 _In a spacious dining hall, architecturally reminiscent of the rococo movement; A quaint affair was unfolding. The hall, magnificently illuminated by the wondrous glow of an antique chandelier, hosted few people despite its impressive size. Beautiful music serenaded the hallowed room; the source of which could be traced to the room's northeastern section. There played two musicians, a pianist and a cellist, bodies swaying rhythmically in perfect harmony._

 _At opposite ends of the central dining table sat two figures of contrasting age and size. The larger and elder of the two adorned a look of pride, his face wrinkled from a kind smile. Cold eyes and a forced smile graced the other figure's features. Strikingly dressed and well groomed, the young boy's mood betrayed the overall atmosphere of the celebration._

" _How have you enjoyed the festivities so far?"_

" _I have enjoyed them well enough, papa."_

 _The man, referred to as "papa," commanded the boy to stay put before dismissing himself politely. Upon the man's departure, the boy's smile faltered. Aside from the two musicians, numerous servants stood diligently by the hall's surrounding walls. Their looks cold and distant, they were no friends to the boy._

' _Friends…' He pondered. 'How does it feel to be friends with someone?'_

 _His musings were brought to a halt, as the sound of two large doors opening echoed throughout the hall. The boy looked over to the entrance to gaze upon the newly arrived guest. He forced a smile again, recognizing the man as his papa. A small, fuzzy bundle rested in the elder man's arms, the sight of which intrigued the boy._

" _I've given you many presents to celebrate this special day, my son. However, this is the most important of my gifts."_

 _Pushing his chair slightly, the young boy stood up and approached his papa; a feeling of genuine excitement overcoming him. The child eagerly extended his small arms, his false smile now one of true wonder. "Papa" gently placed the small creature in his son's hands._

" _He's from the same breeder as my beloved scent hounds. I picked him especially for you."_

 _Feeling tears, the boy shut his eyes and brought the pup to his chest. The sound of the child's heartbeat soothed the animal and likewise, the closeness of the hound served to soothe him._

" _There are few greater companionships than the one between man and dog. The relationship must be carefully cultivated over time. Treat the beast right, and you'll have a dear friend of unparalleled loyalty."_

" _Y-yes, papa."_

" _Know this, however. A dog is not a toy or an object. It is a living being that must be treated with care and respect. By giving you this animal, I'm not only providing you with a companion, I'm also providing you with a great responsibility."_

" _I understand, papa. I won't fail you…" The boy glanced down at the now sleeping puppy he cradled in his arms. "And I won't fail him either."_

" _That's my son. You'll make a fine man someday, Michael."_

 _The boy blushed slightly from his papa's words. The breath of the puppy held closely against his breast brought him immeasurable happiness._

' _My first friend.'_

 _END FLASHBACK_

* * *

Naruto stood horizontally, his feet firmly attached to the bark of a mighty oak tree. His eyes closed, for several seconds he stood in silent contemplation. With a grunt he leapt to a nearby tree, then to another, and another and so on. He blurred from tree to tree, never once touching the ground. The boy had been practicing the tree climbing exercise for a week straight, and this was the culmination of his efforts.

With little to no conscious thought, Naruto could walk vertical surfaces as naturally as he could horizontal surfaces. About a half an hour passed before the transformed blonde felt satisfied with his show of abilities. With a somersault not unlike the one he witnessed earlier from Shizune, he landed gracefully on the grass.

The boy had not slacked on his physical training, either. Each day he pushed his body further and further; never giving in until he was certain he did a little bit more than he had the previous day. Naruto was unsure as to where he stood power-wise in the shinobi world, but was nonetheless confident of his abilities.

Despite knowing full well that he was no match for Tsunade, Naruto felt unperturbed. The blonde woman emanated a powerful aura; The boy had a gut feeling that most shinobi's powers paled in comparison to hers.

Apart from training, eating and sleep, Naruto's time was spent gathering information about Maikeiru. Any kind of inside or personal knowledge was appreciated by the boy. From what he could gather, Maikeiru's most frequent haunt was the casino. The man spent most nights there in a personal suite.

Naruto also learned of the man's personal bodyguard, a missing-nin from the Hidden Cloud. Apparently, the missing-nin was listed as an A-rank in the bingo book. While Naruto was unsure of what kind of power was indicative of an A-ranked shinobi, he did know it was the second highest ranking.

Now if there were two things Naruto Uzumaki was known for, they were cockiness and stupidity. A loud part of his conscious demanded he screw the odds, throw caution to the wind and face the missing-nin. The quieter, more rational part urged him to reconsider and come up with a smarter alternative. After much inner conflict, the not-ninja conceded to his rational side.

Sitting down against a tree, the boy began to formulate a plan. This was uncharacteristic of Naruto. Normally he'd leave things to the last minute and simply improvise a plan. Most people would admit, however begrudgingly, that the boy was quite good at coming up with strategies on the fly. Regardless, this was do-or-die. Naruto could not afford to take any risks.

' _I could find a way to separate the two… but how? A transformed Shadow Clone? It could work, but I'd not only have to lure the bodyguard away, I'd have to keep him distracted as well. The sexy technique wouldn't work. I couldn't just walk into the casino as a bare-naked girl, and if I tried to use it in front of him, he'd probably attack at the first sight of a hand seal.'_

Naruto rubbed his temples and deepened his concentration. _'Maybe I could find a way to infiltrate one of Maikeiru's organizations? Earn his trust and take him out when he's alone.'_ The boy shook his head at the thought. He had neither the skills in subterfuge nor the patience to pull that off.

' _Think, think, think!'_

…

"I've got it!" Naruto declared before rushing off into town. The plan was bold, and undoubtedly had a high probability of failure, but it was his only chance.


	7. Chapter 7: Hero

**Chapter 7: Hero  
**

 _FLASHBACK_

" _Papa…"_

 _An older looking gentleman turned to face a young boy. The child sat with his knees on the floor, a curious look on his face. He was gently caressing a young puppy that laid quietly in front of him. The older man tilted his head slightly and responded._

" _Yes, my boy?"_

" _What… what was mama like?"_

 _Papa sighed deeply. Closing his eyes, he waited a few moments to gather his thoughts. "Your mother was a very caring person. I loved her dearly. She had a certain quality… it's hard to explain, but people were drawn to her. She never had any trouble making friends."_

" _Oh." The boy averted his gaze from his papa._

" _Honestly, I believe you take more after her than you do I. When I was your age, I was more brash and adventurous. You're a kind and gentle soul."_

" _Then why… why can't I make any friends? Any human friends at least."_

" _I can't answer that son. You're a wonderful child who deserves all the friends in the world, but I can't simply force others to be your friend. Have you made the effort to talk to other children? Maybe you just need to take some initiative?"_

" _I just get really nervous. What if they don't like me? What if they make fun of me. Thomas here doesn't judge me, but that doesn't mean they won't."_

 _The man walked closer to the boy before kneeling in front of him. Placing a hand on the child's shoulder, he stared intently at his son. "Life isn't always easy. Things may hurt sometimes, but if you don't take any risks, you'll never achieve anything. If you truly want to make friends, you must make the effort. Even if you face rejection, you can never let that discourage you."_

" _Yes papa." The boy wiped away a few tears. Papa ruffled his son's hair before standing up._

" _Son, I think it's time I taught you about a game."_

" _A game? Is it fun?"_

" _I certainly think so. It's one of my favorites… the game of chess."_

 _END FLASHBACK_

* * *

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed. The elderly Hokage certainly had a lot on his plate. After a little over a week of searching, the team he dispatched to find Naruto had caught a lucky break. Well, perhaps lucky wasn't the best way of describing it.

One of the four shinobi sent had discovered Naruto in Taeru. After underestimating the boy, the shinobi fell victim to a far more devastating version of the technique that felled Hiruzen himself. Despite the team's failure, the Hokage was relieved above all else. Simply knowing the boy was alive and in good health brought great comfort to Hiruzen.

The team however, had no success after that day. 18 days in total had passed since they were assigned their mission; most physical traces of the boy had completely disappeared. Hiruzen reasoned that after his encounter with the shinobi, Naruto most likely wizened up, and kept his identity under wraps. Perhaps he was staying out of public sight, or maybe he had transformed his appearance.

Details about a mission to the Wave Country also concerned the Hokage. 5 days prior, Hiruzen had assigned Kakashi Hatake and his new genin team their first C-ranked mission. An elderly man requested shinobi to escort him back to his home country and watch over the bridge he was building. Nothing too complex.

Of course, first impressions aren't always accurate. News had quickly returned to the village of the team's encounter with a pair of missing-nin from the Hidden Mist known as "The Demon Brothers." Despite this, Kakashi and his genin carried on with the mission.

Hiruzen was not typically one to question Kakashi's judgment, but he wondered if the jōnin was perhaps in a little over his head. After reading about Gatō and his influence in the Wave Country, the likelihood of him hiring even stronger shinobi to target Tazuna seemed frighteningly high. Kakashi's new genin showed promise, dying on their first C-ranked mission would be an absolute tragedy.

As if all that wasn't enough, the Hidden Leaf would be hosting the Chūnin Exams in a matter of weeks. Under usual circumstances, that wouldn't be of much concern. Hiruzen's circumstances however, were far from usual. The stress of everything was slowly but surely killing the man.

' _Maybe Konohamaru will come by and challenge me again. That might give me the pick-up I need.'_

* * *

Jumping from rooftop to rooftop, Naruto was on patrol. For the last few nights he'd acted as a kind of vigilante. The boy did like helping people, but a small part of him had to admit; stalking the night and fighting crime made him feel cool. He made one more leap before coming to a halt; hearing the scurrying of multiple pairs of feet, his eyes shot to the source of the noise.

A young boy ran straight into a dark alleyway, in pursuit behind him, three thugs. Naruto noticed the boy holding tightly onto a paper bag. He didn't know what was in the bag, but he assumed it was the cause of incident. The child's panic grew greater after realizing his blunder. He was trapped, and his chasers were slowly narrowing in on their prey.

The three men cackled sadistically as they crept closer. Upon coming within a few meters of their victim, Naruto took this as his cue and blurred in front of the boy. Taken aback by the newcomer's speed, the thugs gawked slightly. The middle one, assumedly the leader, was the first to approach Naruto. He wielded a medium-length wooden cane, and quickly raised it to strike Naruto. As the cane came inches away from his neck, Naruto's arm shot up and caught it. Without a second's notice, the not-ninja squeezed his fist, snapping the cane in two.

Naruto didn't give the man a chance to react before sending him flying with a roundhouse kick. The other two were frozen in place. Naruto glared at them, his face wrinkled in anger. "Why were you chasing this kid? Give me a truthful answer and I _might_ let you go without hurting you."

Sputtering nervously, the one on Naruto's right took a careful step forward. "H-he took our m-money, s-sir." Naruto looked behind to face the boy, a stern look on his face. "Is he telling the truth?"

"Y-yeah… but those guys are no-good criminals! They sell these weird powders and crystals. I've seen what they do to people. They make people scary."

"Is that right?" Returning to face the two criminals, the boy frowned when they slowly nodded. "These people are scum," Naruto gestured to the thugs, "but that doesn't justify what you did, kid." His fists clenched, the transformed blonde continued.

"I hate people who take advantage of the weak and ignorant. Under different circumstances, I may have let you two go, but now?" Naruto cracked his knuckles. "I'm gonna knock some sense in you." In a flash, he appeared between the two. Grabbing opposite sides of their heads, Naruto violently smashed them against each other; knocking them out cold in an instant.

"Aw! They didn't last long! I wanted to have some fun with them…"

"Um, th-thanks mister."

"I meant what I said, kid. Those wastes of flesh didn't deserve that money, but that doesn't mean you do. Why did you steal it?"

"My dad and I have been struggling ever since he went out of business. Dad always taught me never to steal, but… I know we deserve that money more than they do!" The child pointed accusingly at the unconscious thugs. Naruto offered the boy a sympathetic glance.

"The world doesn't work that way. Just because some people get their money through scummy means, doesn't mean guys like you or I are obligated to any of it."

"So, you want me to just give it back to those guys?"

"I didn't say that. These guys are criminals plain and simple, they don't deserve that money. You and your dad don't deserve it, either." The young boy's grip loosened on the paper bag. He walked closer to Naruto and looked up to the taller boy.

"What should I do with it? Don't say give it to the police, because they work for Maikeiru just like these guys do." Scratching his chin, Naruto considered the boy's options. "Well… are there any charities around? Shelters? I'd say if possible, put that money towards helping the greater community, not just your family."

"I think I know a good place. Can you take me there? I'm a little scared to walk that far alone."

Smiling softly, Naruto placed a hand on the kid's shoulder. "Usually I'd say don't be a scaredy-cat, but I know how dangerous it is out here." The brown-haired boy crouched down, his back to the child, and beckoned him. "You must be pretty worn out from all that running, hop up!"

"Is it really okay?"

"Sure, you're pretty small. I can carry you no problem. Plus, I don't have to worry about you falling behind or getting hurt." The smaller boy nodded and carefully climbed Naruto's back. Standing up straight, Naruto began his trek.

"Just point where I need to go, I'll take it from there."

"Mm-hmm. What's your name, mister? Mine's Rokuro Ibuki."

"Noriaki, Noriaki Yuasa."

"Thank you, Noriaki."

"Don't mention it, what do you think heroes are for?"

' _Hero… do I really deserve to call myself that?'_

…

About half an hour passed as the two boys traversed the streets of Setsuri. They had arrived in a section of town Naruto had not yet familiarized himself with. Rokuro had his arm stretched out, pointing towards a rather spacious two-story building. Atop the entrance adorned a sign that read: "Kumiko Orphanage."

"I still have my dad, but I know some of these kids… they need this money more than I do."

Naruto smiled proudly at the boy. Being an orphan himself, he was touched to know Rokuro cared about others who shared his predicament. After approaching the front door, Naruto knocked twice. He heard the sound of several feet scurrying towards the front window. The boy couldn't make out any faces as the blinds were drawn, but he noticed the sight of multiple peeping eyeballs.

"Alright children, scatter! I'll get the door."

With that, scurrying footsteps could be heard again, as a middle-aged woman slowly opened the door. She looked weary; Naruto reasoned that anyone in her position would be weary in a town like Setsuri. Her eyes brightened upon noticing the boy Naruto carried on his back.

"Oh, Rokuro! What brings you here at such a time? And who's your friend?"

The boy whispered into Naruto's ear to let him down, and the taller boy complied. "This is Noriaki, Miss Kumiko. He saved my life." The woman looked to "Noriaki" with a relieved smile. "Thank you for looking out for Rokuro. His father can be quite busy sometimes and I worry about him when he's alone."

Scratching the back of his head, Naruto blushed slightly. "It was nothing. I just did I what any decent person would do."

"Please come in. You can tell me and the children what happened." Kumiko opened the door further and gestured for the two to enter. Naruto put his hands in his pockets and started whistling; taking care to carefully observe his surroundings. The orphanage looked rather run-down. It was unfortunate, but the operator was obviously making the best effort she could. Kumiko lead the two boys into a large living space; many children followed her along and sat themselves on the floor.

"Children, this is Noriaki. He saved little Rokuro earlier today."

Naruto found himself blushing again at the children's cheers. He cleared his throat and asked if they'd like to hear his story. With a resounding outcry of "YES!", the transformed blonde regaled the orphanage of his exploit. After finishing, the children and Kumiko were left in awe at the boy's strength. They were amazed at how easily a teenager could handle a trio of adult thugs.

"So, why did you and Rokuro come here? Is the Rokuro's father away?"

Looking to the younger boy, Naruto brought his hand to the boy's back and gently patted it. _"You know what to do,"_ He whispered. Rokuro nodded nervously and extended his arms, a familiar paper bag was held in his hands.

"I w-want you to have this!"

Kumiko graciously accepted the bag and gasped when she discovered its contents. "Where on earth did you get all this money?"

"Well… Noriaki left that part out of the story. I-I stole it."

"Rokuro…" The woman started in a scolding tone.

"It belonged to those thugs! I know it's wrong to steal, but they made that money off those substances they sell! At first, I was being selfish. I was going to use the money help out my dad and I. Noriaki helped me realize that wasn't right."

Rokuro trembled slightly before continuing. "I want to put this money to a good cause. It's not fair that people like Maikeiru get rich off our misery! You and these kids need this money far more than I or those thugs do."

The woman was truly gracious of the boy's offer, but was unsure of whether to accept. The money was stolen, but from criminals. Also, the thought of using drug money to fund her orphanage seemed despicable. "I'm not so sure of all this…" Kumiko began.

"Tell you what, we were just about to finish preparing dinner. Both of you join us, and I'll give my answer after we've eaten."

Naruto and Rokuro nodded, and both chuckled after their stomachs growled in unison. Making their way into the dining room, the two sat themselves down next to each other. Naruto was by no means a light eater; upon being served his meal, he found it difficult to mask his disappointment at the small portion size. The boy felt guilty over this, he wasn't a member of the orphanage and Kumiko had clearly been struggling. He was lucky the woman was generous enough to give him any food.

Some idle chitchat was exchanged between Naruto, Rokuro, Kumiko and the orphans. After roughly an hour, everyone had finished their meals and began to clear the table. Naruto offered to do the cleanup himself, and after much cajolery, convinced Kumiko that he could handle it.

Finishing the cleanup, Naruto made his way to a room where he found Rokuro and Kumiko engaged in a conversation.

"Is your father home?"

"He's out fishing again. He won't be back until the day after tomorrow."

"Then you'll have to stay here. It's not safe for you to stay at home alone, especially after what happened earlier."

"Yes, miss Kumiko."

Naruto walked towards the two and coughed, catching their attention. He folded his arms and began to speak. "So, have you decided whether you'll accept the money or not?" The woman bit her lip and looked to Rokuro.

"It was very considerate for you two to think of this orphanage, but… it just doesn't seem right. I can't use stolen drug money to help these children."

"I know it's hard to accept, but think of it this way. That money was willingly given up by the citizens of this town. They knew full well they were throwing their money away, and they didn't care. What's in that bag would've just been used to bring more of those drugs to Setsuri and worsened the situation. I say you should help break this cycle and put that wasted money to something meaningful."

"But what if they find out we have their money? It's too dangerous!"

"You have me. I have nothing better to do, I can watch over this place!"

"I can't ask you to do that. You have your own life, this isn't your responsibility."

"Yes, it is. This became my responsibility the moment I found and helped Rokuro. I'm the one who convinced him to put the money to a good cause, so I'm the one who's gonna make sure it doesn't cause any trouble."

"Noriaki…"

"Besides, I'm an orphan myself. I'd be honored to help children like me. Please, accept the money and my offer."

Kumiko avoided eye contact with Naruto and began mumbling nervously. Staring at her hands, she squeezed them tight. Coming to meet Naruto's gaze again, she gave her reply.

"I'll accept both. Thank you, Noriaki. And thank you too, Rokuro."


	8. Chapter 8: Confrontation

**Chapter 8: Confrontation  
**

 _FLASHBACK_

" _How is he?"_

" _Goodness! You startled me, Lord Richard!"_

 _A young woman bowed slightly before closing a door behind her. Taking a second to dust her apron, the woman answered the man. "He was quite upset. You and I both know how much Thomas meant to him."_

 _Richard nodded grimly. His son had lost a dear friend, his only friend. Despite the love the man held for his son, their relationship was quite distant. He had no doubt in his mind that his son loved him, but it was a more formal love; one borne out of familial obligation rather than mutual personalities or interests. Thomas had provided the boy a close companion, one that he could truly confide in without fear of judgment._

" _Is he still awake?"_

 _The woman nodded before dismissing herself. Richard hesitated slightly. His son had never personally dealt with death before. His mother having died when he was still in his infancy. With a deep sigh, the man twisted the doorknob and entered the boy's room._

 _Not even a slight glance was offered upon the man's entrance. The child had his eyes fixated on the ceiling; sprawled out on a rather large bed, his arms were outstretched. What caught Richard's eye was the familiar collar, firmly gripped in the boy's left hand. His son's eyes were swollen and bloodshot. The boy's breath labored, each individual exhale accompanied by an audible shudder._

 _Approaching his son's bed, Richard put a hand on the boy's left shoulder. He flinched slightly at the touch, and slowly turned to face his father. His eyes were dull and lifeless; they reminded Richard of his own upon the loss of his wife. The man gently rubbed his son's shoulder._

" _I know how important Thomas was to you. I'm truly sorry, Michael."_

 _Michael remained silent for multiple seconds. He broke his gaze with his father and returned to staring at the ceiling. With a deep breath, the boy finally spoke._

" _Why do things die?"_

" _Excuse me?"_

" _Why do things die?" Michael repeated. "First mama, now Thomas. Why were they taken away? What did they do to deserve that?"_

" _Son…" Richard softly squeezed his son's shoulder. "Neither mama nor Thomas deserved to die. Death is a difficult concept, there's not always a rhyme or reason to it. What's important is to honor and cherish how your loved ones lived, rather than dwell on their passing."_

" _It's not that easy! I loved Thomas and he loved me! It's not fair that he died so young! It's not fair mama died before I could even talk!"_

" _No, no it's not fair. It's a hard lesson, but life isn't fair. You'll find as the years go by and you mature into a man, you'll face many more hardships. Some even more difficult than what you're going through now."_

" _But… why? Why isn't life fair?"_

 _Richard chuckled bitterly. "You'd have to ask God about that. Personally though, I have my own perspective. A life without struggle, without adversity, is hardly a life worth living. Sometimes these sad moments help put into perspective how cherished some of our other experiences are. After all, what is happiness without sadness?"_

" _I think I understand your point, but it still hurts. Hurts so much."_

" _Death will always hurt, Michael. I can't force you to get over such a thing nor would I want to. All I can do is try my hardest to help you come to terms and cope with what happened. Know that no matter what, I'll always be there for you. You never have to worry about shouldering a burden alone."_

 _Michael sat up and turned once again to face his father. Tears resurfaced as the two embraced. Today had been difficult for both father and son. Yet through that pain, a new trust was forged. For the first time in his life, Richard felt a true connection with his child. A connection beyond simple blood relation._

 _END FLASHBACK_

* * *

Shimamura was a proud man. Trained rigorously since childhood, he'd witnessed the loss of both comrade and enemy alike; all taken in stride. Death was a foe the man had faced time and time again, a foe he had yet to succumb to.

During the first few years after the end of the Third Shinobi World War, Shimamura found himself… unfulfilled. The man had missions, sure. But nothing could compare to the adrenaline rush of all out warfare. He had never felt so alive, so in control, as he did on the battlefield. Needless to say, peace and Shimamura did not go hand in hand.

When first offered a job by Maikeiru, the man had mixed feelings. The pay was exorbitant, and hearing of the businessman's potential enemies brought some excitement to Shimamura. On the other hand, the idea of orbiting another person hours a day, protecting them… didn't thrill the former Cloud-nin. He hated the idea of being a glorified babysitter. The upsides however, were enough to convince the man.

Enemies of Maikeiru were disappointing to say the least. None offered any real challenge, only a select few had even basic shinobi training. An interesting kid did eventually show up, however. Someone by the name of Noriaki. His exploits had quickly spread throughout the town, and word invariably spread to Shimamura and his boss.

A few days prior, Maikeiru had discussed the boy with Shimamura. What surprised the shinobi was how casually the businessman acted about the whole situation. The missing-nin was fully confident in his ability to eliminate this Noriaki character, and suggested he deal with him as swiftly as possible. Maikeiru had staunchly denied his request. Shimamura was then given strict orders to observe the boy, and would neither confront nor impede Noriaki in any way possible.

It was late at night, and Shimamura was to give his report on the boy. Using his personal key, the man entered Maikeiru's suite. Hearing the door unlock and open, the businessman called to the man from his personal study. Locking the door behind him, the shinobi quickly made his way to meet his boss.

"You look a little winded, why don't you take a seat?"

The missing-nin raised his hand in a halt gesture and slowly shook it. "I prefer to stand." Maikeiru chuckled lightly at the response.

"What can you tell me of the boy?"

"Where to begin? So far, he's been going around town acting like a local superhero. Saving people left and right, making friends with the locals. Hell, he's been working at an orphanage for the last three days! It's almost too ridiculous to believe."

"Go on."

"He's also been training quite rigorously. I've known very few people with his kind of stamina and intensity, one of those being a man by the name of Killer Bee. Makes me wonder if this Noriaki kid has a demon in him as well… Nah, it couldn't be."

"He certainly is an interesting child. Have you found any information on his plan to take me out?"

"Not yet. Either he's all talk and he hasn't come up with anything, or he's figured something out and he's preparing for the right moment to strike."

"Is that so? I do look forward to playing with the boy, hopefully whatever plan he does come up with will prove to be entertaining."

"Boss, I've gotta ask you to reconsider. He's just a kid and may not seem like much of a threat, but I know from experience to never underestimate a foe. Given free reign, who knows what kind of trouble he could cause."

"Make no mistake, Shimamura. I do not underestimate the boy. In fact, I'm most certain I think higher of him than even you. I have my own reasons for keeping him alive."

"I wouldn't happen to be privy to those reasons, would I?"

Maikeiru scoffed. "If I wanted to tell you, I would've told you." The businessman readjusted himself in his chair. "It's late, I don't want you to be half-asleep while on duty. Get some rest then report to me at the usual time."

Shimamura released a frustrated sigh. "Yes, _sir._ " With that, the shinobi took his leave. Upon the man's departure, Maikeiru smiled to himself. _'How far will you go to protect your ideals, Noriaki? I want to test your determination. I want to know if you're truly worthy of the title hero.'_

* * *

' _Smoke bombs? Check. Shuriken and kunai? Check. Explosive tags? Probably won't need those, but check.'_

Naruto was currently going through his inventory, making sure he was fully prepared for his assault. A few days prior, he had stumbled across a small weapons dealership on the outskirts of town. Business was failing, and the owner was desperate to unload his supplies. Naruto counted his blessings, were it not for his fortunate circumstances, he'd have no way of affording everything he needed.

Well, "fortunate circumstances" wasn't exactly the most appropriate phrase. The boy had felt quite guilty taking advantage of the man's desperation, but the owner insisted. He had recognized his "Noriaki" transformation. "The hero of Setsuri should be prepared for anything!" The man had told Naruto.

"Hero."

As much of braggart as he was, Naruto was unsure of how to feel about being called such a thing. Sure, he called himself a hero on more than one occasion, but that was just big talk. Going from village pariah to "hero" in the span of a few weeks was quite disorienting. Despite all his posturing, Naruto honestly didn't feel like a real hero.

' _How can I be a hero if I couldn't even save Iruka? I'm so full of shit.'_

Rationalizing that moping wouldn't get him anywhere, Naruto slapped himself out of his funk. He needed to focus. Today was the day he would set his plan in motion. Maikeiru would be stopped, dammit!

Hearing a door open behind him, Naruto twisted his head to greet the visitor. The boy smiled, recognizing the person to be Kumiko. She smiled back before closing the door behind her. Her smile was insincere, forced.

' _That smile… I know it so well,'_ Naruto thought to himself.

"Noriaki… are you sure about this?"

"Yeah. I made a promise to myself shortly after I arrived in Setsuri. I can't just sit around and watch you people suffer."

"Why? Why do you care so much? What obligation do you have to this town? To the people living here?"

"I know what it's like to suffer… to feel completely helpless. For a while I'd given up hope, I thought nothing could save me from the despair I felt. But that changed, a man who had every right to ignore me, to resent me even, helped me." Naruto paused for a few seconds, then continued.

"I guess he saw some of himself in me. And that's why I want to help this town. When I see the eyes of the people in this town, I can't help but remember how similar my eyes were back then."

"You'd really risk your life, just because of that? Please don't misunderstand, I can't begin to express my gratitude…"

"But?"

"But you're just a child! You may be strong, but to put the burden of an entire town on your shoulders… it's just too much!"

Naruto placed an assuring hand on her shoulder and smirked. "I can handle myself, trust me." That confident gaze, Kumiko couldn't help but believe him. The boy had a way of washing away all your doubts and fears with just a single look.

"Good luck, Noriaki."

"Thanks, I'm probably gonna need it." Naruto grabbed a small note from his pocket and handed it to the woman. "In case I don't make it back, give that to Rokuro. I know he's with his dad, and I don't have time to find him." Kumiko simply stared at the note in silence.

Naruto took his leave, and after making his way down a flight of stairs, found himself facing a mob of children. Not wanting to worry them, the boy simply told them he'd be off doing important business, and bid them farewell. Upon leaving the orphanage, Naruto set off to the forest to begin preparing his plan. All the while completely unaware of the shinobi observing him from the shadows.

' _So, the day's finally come, eh?'_

* * *

"CHEATER! HE'S A DAMN CHEATER!"

A young brown-haired man was pointing an accusatory finger at a balding, bespectacled, black-haired man. They had been playing Craps, and the balding man's luck had been more than a little unbelievable. "The die have been switched and tested numerous times, sir. It would be impossible for this man to be cheating." The dealer spoke calmly to the excited man.

"I don't care! There's no way anyone can be that lucky! Get the owner out here, I want to see what he thinks about this!"

"Mr. Maikeiru is a very busy man. I don't think it would be appropriate to call him out of his work over something like this."

"Something like this?! I'm sure Maikeiru would be pretty damn upset knowing he's being bled dry by a damn cheater!"

The dealer pinched the bridge of his nose. Preparing himself to speak, he was interrupted by the one accused of cheating. "I wouldn't mind Mr. Maikeiru coming down here. If he really would have a problem with me winning more, I'd like to apologize to him face-to-face."

"Don't act all honorable, you scumbag! Feh, whatever. It's two against one, get the owner now!"

Grumbling to himself, the dealer left to inform his boss. He understood the brown-haired man's frustration, but did he have to make such a scene? After his departure, the brown-haired man took to glaring at his adversary. The balding man simply smiled kindly, infuriating the other man to no end.

Minutes later, three figures emerged from the stairway. In the middle was a well-dressed man; with neatly groomed black hair, and bright blue eyes. Adorned in a very expensive looking black suit, the man radiated power. To his right, a taller, more muscular man, with fair skin and messy platinum-blonde hair. His face bore a few scars, and he wore a light blue gi with a chainmail undershirt. On the left was the dealer, with a somewhat concerned look on his face.

"So, what's troubling you in my fine establishment?" The well-dressed man asked.

"That guy over there," The brown-haired man pointed to the bespectacled man, "is a filthy chea-"

His words were cut off as bombs of smoke suddenly went off. When the smoke finally cleared, the well-dressed man had been separated from his entourage. The brown-haired man and an overweight blonde woman held the man's arms. Standing behind the well-dressed man with a kunai to his throat, was the balding man.

In a poof, all three holding the man transformed into Noriaki. "Don't get any closer or I'll slit his throat!" The only response the boy received was laughter. The two bastards were laughing at him! How dare they!

"What do you say, Maikeiru? Can I hurt him now?"

"Sure Shimamura, just make sure he's conscious. I still want to have some fun with him."

"Noriaki" growled and grit his teeth. "I have your boss! I'll kill him before you take one step!"

"Oh-ho, is that right?"

Naruto paused. Was he imagining things, or did that voice come from behind him? Before the boy could blink, Shimamura dispelled his clones. _'Dammit, this is my only chance!'_ With that thought, Naruto gripped his kunai harder and prepared to slit Maikeiru's throat.

 _SNAP!_

The boy screamed as his kunai plummeted to the floor. Shimamura had fractured his arm with blinding speed, and held it behind the boy's back. _'So… this is the power of an A-ranked shinobi. I really am an idiot. I may still have a chance, though.'_

Four clouds of smoke materialized behind the former Cloud-nin and pounced, kunai in hand. Shimamura winced as four kunai dug into his body. No vital areas were hit, but the man was infuriated. An inexperienced kid getting the jump on him; it was a complete affront to his pride. With a roar, the man released his grip from the original "Noriaki's" arm and violently flung the clones off him.

Ignoring the pain, Naruto hastily grabbed the kunai with his uninjured arm. With just a fraction of an inch between the knife and the Maikeiru's throat, it seemed this really was the end. A puff of smoke materialized where the well-dressed man stood, and in his place stood Shimamura.

' _Substitution!'_

The shinobi smirked and delivered a strong jab to Naruto's stomach, causing the boy to not only spit up blood but also drop his weapon once again. The transformed blonde keeled over and continued to cough up blood and bile.

Not wanting to risk being caught in the crossfire of the exchange, most of the denizens of the casino had fled. Only a few brave souls remained and watched, all standing as far away from "Noriaki" and Shimamura as possible.

"I knew about that dice trick you used, but I was careless. You won't touch me again."

"Y-you *cough* knew about my trick? How?"

Shimamura chuckled ominously. "You didn't think you could go around playing hero without being noticed, did you? I've been tailing you for days now. Had it not been for my boss' kindness, you'd be long dead."

"T-tailing me…"

' _I'm screwed! I'm screwed! Not just me, but the orphanage and Rokuro, too! How could I let this happen?!'_

Rubbing his neck tenderly, Maikeiru addressed Naruto. "If you're worried about that orphanage you've been helping or that boy you saved, don't worry. When it comes to my wealth, the money you've taken is simply a drop in the ocean. I have no desire to hurt any of those people."

"Urgh… why do you expect me to believe you?" Naruto spat.

"You can believe what you want. Shimamura, grab the boy and follow me up to my quarters. Noriaki and I have some business to discuss." Before heading up the stairs, the man clapped his hands and addressed the few employees still in the casino. "Hey! Don't think this scuffle means you can take the day off! One of you gather the cowards that ran off, the rest of you continue your work!"

After Maikeiru ascended the stairs, Shimamura hurled Naruto over his shoulder, but not before removing his weapons pouch. "You should count your blessings, kid. Even after you had a kunai to the man's throat, Maikeiru was still gracious enough to spare you."

"You broke my arm, and you're telling me to count my blessings?" Naruto deadpanned.

"You're not dead, stop complaining."


	9. Chapter 9: Game

White moves are in _italics_ , black moves are in **bold**.

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Game  
**

Naruto and Shimamura sat adjacent on a black leather sofa. In front of them, a large circular table covered by a simple white cloth. Maikeiru observed the boy from the opposite side of the table. Smirking slightly, the black-haired man folded his arms.

"You can drop the transformation, _Noriaki._ We know about your little secret."

"Noriaki" simply grunted and turned his head in defiance. The larger man next to him quickly grabbed him by the hair; violently smashing his nose against the table. Naruto howled in pain, his nose had been broken and was bleeding profusely.

"Look what you made him do, Noriaki. Now my tablecloth is all messy."

Shimamura looked to the boy, his hand still gripping his hair. "You'll only make things needlessly difficult by being stubborn," The shinobi warned him. "Fine!" Naruto spat. A cloud of smoke enveloped the boy, revealing the form of a spiky-haired blonde.

"That wasn't so bad now, was it?"

Silence.

"Noriaki, I brought you up here for a reason. Think of this as a test of sorts. If you pass, I'll let you go, and if you fail…"

"If I fail?"

"I'll kill you," Maikeiru responded curtly.

Naruto was conflicted. Ever fiber in his body was begging for him to refuse to listen, to be stubborn and keep fighting. The boy didn't want to play on Maikeiru's terms. He was caught between a rock and a hard place, he couldn't lose his cool. Naruto didn't want to die, not yet.

"What's the test?"

"It's quite basic, really. I call it 'The Hero Test.' Simple name I know. I'll ask you a series of questions, and you must answer truthfully."

"That's it?"

"It's a little more complicated, but don't worry. You'll learn as you go." Maikeiru cleared his throat before asking his first question.

"Why do you want to save this town?"

Glaring at the man, Naruto took a few seconds to gather his thoughts. "I see myself in the people who've suffered here. I hate what they're going through and I want to help them. I have no obligation to them, and nobody had any obligation to me. That didn't stop people from helping me anyway." Naruto's thoughts quickly flickered to Iruka, the third Hokage and Naoko.

"Hmm, that's an acceptable answer. Next question, to what lengths would you go to save Setsuri?"

"I'd risk my life."

"Is that so? Shimamura, get a kunai!"

Naruto grimaced, did he answer wrong? He meant it when he said he'd risk his life, but he didn't expect to be killed right there. _'Crap! Crap! Crap!'_

"Relax, Noriaki. We won't kill you. But if you were truthful about your previous statement, surely you wouldn't mind risking some fingers? After all, what are a few fingers compared to a life?"

Shimamura grabbed Naruto's non-broken arm and placed it on the table. In his free hand a kunai, poised to lop off a finger at a second's notice.

"Tell me, Noriaki. Which finger do you value least?"

"W-what? You can't expect me to answer that!"

"Being a hero is all about self-sacrifice and making tough decisions. If you don't make a choice, I may as well save us all the effort and kill you now."

"Pinky! I choose the pinky!"

Maikeiru laughed nefariously. With a sharp thud, the kunai clashed against the table. A piercing scream echoed throughout the room and the surrounding hallway as the small appendage flew off the table. Shimamura was quick to catch it, lest his boss chew him out for letting it dirty the carpet. The boy gripped the tablecloth with his remaining fingers. Trying desperately to refrain from another outburst, he failed and let out another scream.

"Bandage it up, Shimamura. We can't have him dying from blood loss, can we?"

The shinobi placed the pinky on the table before taking some medical tape from his weapons pouch and quickly wrapping it around Naruto's wound. He didn't broadcast his surprise as he noticed the wound rapidly sealing up. Tears streamed down the boy's face; his teeth were clenched, and his nose still bloodied.

"After all that, can you still say you'd risk your life to save this town?"

Blonde bangs obscured the boy's eyes. Shuddering heavily, the boy slowly looked up to stare down Maikeiru. "Y-yeah… believe it." The black-haired man scowled at Naruto's words.

"Fine. Next question: What would you do if you failed to save Setsuri?"

"I won't fail."

"You didn't answer my question."

Naruto smirked, still staring intently at the man. "Yes, I did. I said: I. Won't. Fail. That's the only answer I'll give that question."

"There's that stubbornness again. Whatever, final question…"

Maikeiru did not continue. The atmosphere grew even more tense, Naruto was sweating profusely. His nervousness clearly visible to the two who accompanied him. The boy's eyes darted around the room, looking desperately for something to ease the tension.

He eventually took notice of a medium sized picture frame, inside a photo of a young boy and an older man. Most likely the boy's father. Naruto wasn't sure why, but he felt his nerves relax as he gazed upon the photograph. After sighing to himself, the blonde boy spoke up.

"What's the final question?"

Noticing what the boy was staring at, Maikeiru furrowed his brow and frowned.

"Would you be willing to save Setsuri if your only means of doing so meant fighting completely on my terms."

"Heh, what does it look like I'm doing now. I've been on your terms since your pal here broke my arm."

"I won't let you avoid this question. Yes or no, if your answer is no, I won't hesitate to have you killed."

"Like that threat was needed. I'll take you on no matter what. As long as I have a chance of beating you, no matter how slim it may be, I'll take it."

"Good, good. How familiar are you with the game of Chess?"

"Chess? Never heard of it." Naruto grimaced at the sight of Maikeiru's devilish grin. He had a feeling it was a bad idea saying yes, but what choice did he have? _'If you're watching me, Iruka, please give me strength.'_

* * *

"F-fancy," Naruto croaked weakly. Maikeiru had returned from his study, a gorgeous antique chess set was held securely in his hands. Gently placing the board on the table, he threw a rubber glove to Naruto. The glove hit the blonde square on the forehead, but the boy hardly reacted.

"Put that on, I don't want you bloodying the pieces."

The boy grumbled and carefully covered his bandaged hand with the glove. Naruto felt quite awkward; the pinky slot of the glove simply hung limp.

"Since you're ignorant of this game, I'll go over the rules. First things first, there are two sides: White and Black. White always goes first and black second."

"Uh-huh," Naruto replied half-heartedly.

Maikeiru proceeded to describe each piece, informing Naruto of their names and their functions. The boy simply nodded dumbly whenever the man paused. Upon finishing his tutorial, the black-haired man smiled briskly.

"I'll have you know that more often than not, white players have the advantage. Initially, I was going to choose white; I mean, why would I give you the advantage when we're fighting on my terms? But I've decided I'll give you a sporting chance. We'll settle this with a simple game of rock-paper-scissors. Whoever wins decides what color they play."

"Whatever, fine by me."

"ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS!" The two yelled in unison. Maikeiru smirked and Naruto grimaced when they saw the other's choice. "So much for a sporting chance. I'll choose white. Oh, and one last thing, Shimamura here will help out a little in our game."

"WHAT?! That's not fair!"

"Relax, it's not like we could cheat in a game like this. He'll simply… _punish_ you for making mistakes. Shimamura, why don't you demonstrate that lightning ability of yours?"

Shimamura nodded and placed his left hand on Naruto's head. Making a few hand seals with his free hand, his right hand was soon enveloped in a blue light. Jolts of electricity rapidly surged through the blond boy, and he started convulsing violently. A few seconds passed, and Shimamura released his technique, leaving Naruto panting heavily with his chin against the table.

"Depending on the amount of chakra I use, this technique can range from mild annoyance to something that can fry every one of your internal organs. The amount I just used wasn't lethal, but if you screw up enough, it might be."

"Each time you lose a piece, Shimamura will administer a shock to you. Now tell me, do you still want to fight on my terms?"

"You _*huff*_ bet."

"Excellent! Now give me some time to choose my opening."

After a few minutes of deliberation, Maikeiru made his move. _E2 pawn to E4_. Naruto squinted at the pawn. _'This guy's probably an expert at this and I don't have a clue what I'm doing. He could probably see through any strategy I could come up with. Maybe I should just wing it…'_

Staring at the pawn for a few more minutes, Naruto nodded to himself and acted. **C7 pawn to C5**. Maikeiru chuckled softly then scratched his chin. "You're going for _that_ defense, huh? Maybe you're not as clueless as you let on."

' _That defense? What the hell is he blabbing about?'_

Maikeiru quickly reacted. _G1 knight to F3_. Not even taking a moment to hesitate, Naruto countered. **G7 Pawn to G6**. _'He's not even taking his time to strategize.'_ The black-haired man thought to himself. _'Does he seriously think he can win playing this way?'_

 _D2 pawn to D4._

 **F8 bishop to G7.**

"Dammit! Don't take this lightly! You have to think things through, idiot!" Maikeiru rubbed his forehead in frustration. The boy was getting under his skin; was "Noriaki" trying to psyche him out? The well-dressed man sighed and began to clear his head. After going through a few mental scenarios, he made his next move.

 _B1 knight to C3._

Once again without thinking, Naruto simply smirked before moving another piece. **C5 pawn to D4**.

"Looks like I took your pawn. If you were in my shoes you'd be getting a pretty big jolt right now."

"Don't get cocky, you little bastard."

 _F3 knight to D4._

Before he could react, Shimamura's hand was already firmly gripped on Naruto's head. The boy's mouth started to froth as his body and limbs jerked. Unable to even scream, the blonde just grunted. 10 seconds passed before Naruto was released from the technique. With a loud bang, the boy's head knocked against the edge of the table, creating a gash on his forehead.

"Don't touch your forehead, I'm not getting you another glove."

Naruto grimaced as he felt blood trickle down his nose. Biting back an insult, the blonde once again made a move without thinking.

 **B8 knight to C6.**

"You've been playing rather conservatively. For someone like you, I'd expect all out offense. I guess when an idiot refuses to use his brain, he can somehow do intelligent things."

 _C1 bishop to E3._

 **G8 knight to F6.**

Maikeiru wiped some sweat from his brow. The boy had been playing competently, surprisingly enough. However, he left an opening. Smirking, the black-haired man struck. _D4 knight to C6_. For the third time that night, Naruto was subjected to Shimamura's technique. The boy had enough sense to catch himself before injuring himself further this time.

"Looks like your queen's in danger," Maikeiru taunted.

"Looks like this is an eye for an eye."

 **B7 pawn to C6.**

His fists clenched, Maikeiru silently cursed to himself. He hoped the boy would act stupidly and miss the opening. Clearly, he underestimated Naruto.

"Tch, whatever."

 _E4 pawn to E5._

 **F6 knight to G8.**

"You seem to be making most of your moves without thinking, but I can tell you know when your pieces are in danger. Despite your obvious stupidity, you possess quite keen senses."

"J-just shut up and make your damn move."

 _F2 pawn to F4._

 **F7 pawn to F6.**

Maikeiru snorted. _E5 pawn to F6_. Naruto just smiled acceptingly before receiving yet another jolt from the blonde shinobi. After the torture ended, Naruto smirked triumphantly. "I think you might have to up your power a bit, I'm already getting used to it."

"You're gonna regret those words, kid," Shimamura spat. Naruto simply chuckled in response, irritating the shinobi further.

 **G8 knight to F6.**

"Zap," The boy taunted, his index finger aimed at Maikeiru.

A few moments of contemplation later, the black-haired man grasped one of his bishops.

 _F1 bishop to C4._

 **D7 pawn to D5.**

"Looks like you have to retreat."

Gritting his teeth, Maikeiru moved his bishop back. _C4 bishop to E2_. Naruto licked his lips. They were dry and cracked; covered in blood from his forehead and nose injuries.

 **A8 rook to B8.**

Maikeiru pursed his lips. "Hmm…"

 _B2 pawn to B3._

 **F6 knight to G4.**

' _Going after my bishop, huh?'_

 _E3 bishop to D4._

 **E7 Pawn to E5.**

"Brace yourself, boy. After what you said, Shimamura might not be so gentle this time."

 _F4 pawn to E5._

Shimamura's technique lasted 20 seconds this time, and the intensity of the electricity increased as he pumped more chakra. He'd make the boy suffer for his arrogance. Naruto's head fell once again, but he narrowly avoided another collision by quickly gripping the table. The blonde was now having inadvertent spasms, but still managed to find the strength to look upright.

' _Now might be a good opportunity to try out that castling technique.'_

 **E8 king to G8. H8 rook to F8.**

"Hmph, I'm surprised you remembered castling. No matter."

 _E2 bishop to G4._

There it was again; the familiar surge of electricity. The boy's spasms increased in frequency. Despite being very aware of his own stamina, Naruto was surprised he hadn't fainted long ago. _'Guess that training I've been doing has helped out a bit.'_

 **D8 queen to H4.**

"Check," The blonde proclaimed.

Letting out a grunt, Maikeiru quickly came to his king's defense.

 _G2 pawn to G3._

 **H4 queen to G4.**

"L-looks like your b-bishop's gone."

"And it would seem your queen is gone."

 _D1 queen to G4._

20 seconds of writhing later, the blonde sat back, his face to the ceiling, panting heavily. Saliva trailed down the boy's cheek, and every few seconds his body would jerk violently. _'Come on, I can do this!'_ Shaking his head, Naruto brought his head forward to face Maikeiru. Eyes half-closed, face covered in blood and saliva; the boy pulled the best confident grin he could manage.

 **D8 bishop to G4.**

"Just like before, an eye for an eye."

' _Dammit, this kid! He doesn't miss a beat!'_

 _H1 rook to F1._

 **F8 rook to F1.**

"Eye for an eye, huh?" Maikeiru muttered.

 _E1 king to F1._

Shimamura moved to grab the boy again, but Maikeiru halted him. "He's had enough," The man warned his bodyguard. "I don't know if he can take anymore." The shinobi simply nodded and backed off. Naruto wondered where the sudden mercy came from, but didn't voice his confusion. Who was he to complain?

 **C6 pawn to C5.**

 _D4 bishop to F2._

' _It's not like him to make a move so fast.'_

 **G7 bishop to E5.**

 _F2 bishop to E1._

 **B2 rook F8.**

"Ch-check," Naruto uttered.

"Hmm…"

 _F1 king to G2._

 **F8 rook to F3.**

 _H2 pawn to H3._

 **F3 rook to C3.**

"Now all our knights are gone."

"Seems so." Maikeiru returned to his slower approach. His eyes darted repeatedly from the board to Naruto.

 _E1 bishop to C3._

"And now all your rooks are gone."

"Heh, I'm still in a better place than you, though."

 **E5 bishop to C3.**

Looking somewhat disgruntled at being outplayed so easily, the black-haired man grit his teeth. Surprising the boy and his bodyguard, Maikeiru started to smile. It wasn't a fake smile, either. Naruto could tell, it was completely genuine.

 _A1 rook to F1._

"Despite everything, this has been pretty damn fun."

"I w-wish I c-could agree," Naruto retorted bitterly.

 **G4 bishop to F5.**

"Ha, I guess you do have every right to hate this."

 _F1 rook to F2._

 **H7 pawn to H5.**

"Noriaki… I'm glad I could have this game with you."

' _What the hell is with this guy? Why's he getting all sentimental?'_

 _F2 rook to E2._

 **G8 king to F7.**

"I used to play chess with my papa. I spent countless hours studying his strategies, but no matter how hard I tried, I could never beat him."

"Is th-that so?"

"He was a very brave and wise man. In a way, you sort of remind me of him."

Naruto didn't offer a verbal response, but cocked an eyebrow.

"I can explain later, let me make my move first."

 _E2 rook to E3._

 **C3 bishop to D4.**

"Despite his wealthy status, he never lost his sympathy for the common man. Never have I known a man so charitable, so caring. Everyone at home loved him, he was considered a hero."

 _E3 rook to F3._

 **F7 king to E6.**

"Seems l-like a good g-guy. Why aren't y-you anything like h-him?"

"For now, let's just say _circumstances._ If you beat me, I'll elaborate further."

 _C2 pawn to C3._

 **D4 bishop to E5.**

Maikeiru stared at the board in silence as minutes passed. Getting impatient, Naruto snapped his fingers, bringing the black-haired man to attention.

"Sorry about that."

 _F3 rook to E3._

 **D5 pawn to D4.**

' _An opening… should I take it?'_

 _C3 pawn to D4._

 **C5 pawn to D4.**

' _I'm getting sloppy.'_

 _E3 rook to E1._

 **D4 pawn to D3.**

The two stared each other down. Naruto's convulsions had lessened, but the occasional jerk was still present. If it hadn't been for those convulsions, Maikeiru knew the boy wouldn't offer even the slightest flinch.

 _H3 pawn to H4._

 **D3 pawn to D2.**

' _Going after my rook, eh?'_ Maikeiru mused.

 _E1 rook to D1._

 **E5 bishop to C3.**

' _Of course, it wouldn't be that simple. What to do next?'_

 _G2 king to F2._

 **F5 bishop to G4.**

"Noriaki, do you believe in fate?"

"I don't kn-know. Why the hell are you a-asking me?"

"Food for thought, is all."

' _What is with this guy?'_

 _D1 rook to H1._

 **C3 bishop to D4.**

"O-once again, ch-check," Naruto informed.

"You've really had me on the ropes, Noriaki. I haven't had you in check once."

"Why aren't you a-angry anymore? You were pretty p-pissed when I took out your p-pieces earlier."

Maikeiru didn't say a word, and smiled warmly at Naruto, deeply confusing him.

 _F2 king to G2._

 **E6 king to D5.**

Without a single thought, Maikeiru instinctively grabbed a pawn.

 _A2 pawn to A3._

 **D5 king to E4.**

 _H1 rook to F1._

 **E4 king to D3.**

 _G2 king to H2._

 **D3 king to E2.**

 _H2 king to G2._

 **G4 bishop to H3.**

"You're in check again. You should stop trying to play like me, it's obviously not working out for you." Naruto's convulsions had come to a complete halt. His breathing was now normal; for the first time since his arm was broken, he felt truly confident.

 _G2 king to H3._

"But of course, I can simply take your bishop with my king."

"Feh."

 **E2 king to F1.**

"And I can take your rook with _my_ King."

"Excellent move, Noriaki."

 _B3 pawn to B4._

 **D2 pawn to D1.**

"And now, I get my queen back. Pretty nicely played, don't ya think?" Despite everything, Naruto found himself genuinely enjoying the game now. Maybe if he survived this whole ordeal, he'd make a hobby out of playing this "chess" game.

"Very nicely played."

 _H3 king to H2._

 **D1 queen to E2.**

"This is the fifth time, now. You just can't keep yourself outta check, can you?"

"Not when I'm going against you." The man couldn't help but smile. He had been thoroughly outplayed. His own missteps had lead to his downfall. Maikeiru had two possible moves, he could move his king up or down. Either way his defeat was inevitable.

"I know there's not much point in making a move," Maikeiru said in defeat, "but I don't want to just hand you the win. This will be my final play."

 _H2 king to H3._

' _Looks like I've got you cornered.'_

 **E2 queen to G2.**

"Checkmate."


	10. Chapter 10: Break

**Chapter 10: Break  
**

Hand slowly met hand as the sound of applause serenaded the small room. Maikeiru was congratulating Naruto for his victory. The gesture filled the boy with conflicting feelings of relief, concern, happiness and anger.

"Congratulations, Noriaki. Your performance today was simply… superb."

Naruto found himself clenching both fists, then paused. _'My right hand… I can move it.'_ The blonde slowly lifted his injured arm, obscuring his face with his hand. He began to move his fingers in sequence, and quickly found his hand was fully operational. Feeling no pain in his arm, Naruto began to stretch it.

' _No pain, it's like nothing happened to it.'_

"Hmm, you seem to have an impressive healing factor. Your arm appears to be fully functional and the wounds on your forehead and nose have healed nicely. Perhaps you have a bloodline of sorts?"

The boy rose one hand to his forehead and began to caress where his wounds had resided. Feeling nothing but sweat and dried blood, Naruto sighed in relief. "I don't know why I heal so fast… I don't think it's a bloodline, though."

"Perhaps, perhaps not. Regardless of that, you have defeated me. I feel it's time I unburden myself."

"What… what are you going to tell me?"

Maikeiru turned his back to Naruto, a sorrowful smile graced his features. "My papa…" The man gulped. "Was a noble of sorts, from a faraway land. A continent separate from the one you and I currently inhabit."

"A different continent?"

"Yes. Culturally this continent is very different from your own. For example, we do not have shinobi or samurai in our homeland. The languages we use are also different, in my own language, my name is pronounced _Michael._ "

Naruto uttered a quiet "Uh-huh."

"My papa was a very rich, powerful and influential man. He ruled our hometown with great wisdom and kindness. Everyone loved and respected him."

"Okay…"

"I was different. My mama passed away shortly after I was born, and this caused my papa to grow… distant. He was still a very caring man, but found himself somewhat cut off from the rest of the world."

Michael cleared his throat before turning to face Naruto. "I was not like my father. I was timid, antisocial… completely unremarkable. People did not gravitate towards me the way they did to my parents. It wasn't till my 9th birthday that I made my first friend."

"Your first friend?"

"Thomas, a dog my papa had given me for the occasion. I loved him dearly, and I feel that animal lit a fire in both our hearts."

A lone tear trailed down the man's cheek.

"My dog… he passed away only two years later. I had lost my first friend, a companion whom I loved dearly… I didn't know how I'd cope."

"How did you? Cope, I mean."

"Papa came to comfort me. We had been growing closer since Thomas had come into our lives, but that night had solidified our bond. I'll never forget the despair I felt that fateful day, but I'll also never forget the love I felt for papa that day, either."

"The bond between father and son… it sounds nice."

"It _was…_ of course, as we all know, these things never last." Tears now stained both Michael's cheeks. "Despite the bond I held with my papa, I still remained antisocial to others. Because of this, people mistrusted me."

"Yeah… I know what it's like to be mistrusted."

"Roughly five years ago, my father was murdered." Eyes widened, Naruto silently gasped. "Given my lack of an alibi and the people's mistrust of me… I was fingered as the prime suspect. After a lengthy and stressful trial, I was deemed innocent. This did not convince the people however, they believed I had skirted the law due to my father's power and influence."

' _I think I know where he's going with this…'_

"I grew bitter and resentful of these people. Rather than face them and affirm my innocence, I ran. Ran like a pathetic coward. I was too weak, and I loathed myself for it. I swore that with my father's wealth, I'd build my own empire. I wanted to dominate people, to make them suffer."

The blonde boy stared blankly at the black-haired man. _'This is… this is…'_ Naruto slammed both fists against the table. "Are you kidding me?! There's no way, just no way! Not only do you let me live, but you conveniently have a similar backstory to me?! What the hell is going on here!"

An unfamiliar voice sounded in Naruto's mind. _'You cannot diverge from your predetermined path, child of prophecy.'_ The boy clutched his head in irritation. That whisper in his head, just what was it?

"I'm just telling you what happened, Noriaki. Perhaps it's just coincidence that we have similar origins?"

"N-no, this is more than a coincidence." Naruto whispered through clenched teeth. "You asked me before if I believed in fate, well I'm giving you my answer. I think I do, as much as I hate that. Something beyond my control is going on here, this is all too unbelievable. I stumble upon this town after running away from my own village and manage to confront you. Despite the odds being completely against me, defying all logic you spare me and challenge me to a game I've _never_ played!"

Michael examined the boy quietly, not daring to interrupt his rant.

"By hardly thinking at all, I manage to defeat you! And now you're telling me some sob story that's oh-so similar to my own… this isn't a coincidence. This is some twisted scheme from above!"

' _You cannot diverge from your predetermined path, child of prophecy.'_

"AARGH! Shut the hell up!" Naruto shut his eyes tight and started to pull on his hair with both hands. "Get out of my head, dammit!"

"Noriaki, please calm yourself. If only for a moment."

Shimamura patiently watched the events that unfolded between his boss and the boy. He had to agree with "Noriaki's" logic, everything did seem too convenient. Something strange was stirring, perhaps something divine.

Panting heavily, Naruto lowered his hands. "Let me guess… you resented yourself for your actions and wished for someone like _papa_ to come and stop you."

"Th-that's exactly right, but how…?"

"I may be a little slow sometimes, but I think I have something figured out here. _Something_ has set a path for me, which I guess I've somehow diverged from. I guess you're a safety measure of sorts, something meant to steer me back to my original path."

"A safety measure? Noriaki, I'm a human just like you. I have my own free will."

"Do you? Do you really?"

"Yes, we all make our own decisions, and each one contributes to our overall fate. Nobody but ourselves make these decisions. Blaming divine forces for our own follies is naïve." Michael glanced to Shimamura and continued.

"Let me prove to you how we choose our fate. Shimamura, give the boy a kunai."

"What? Are you insane?!" The shinobi sputtered.

"Do it, now."

The elder blonde grumbled while picking up the kunai he used to cut off Naruto's pinky. Offering it to the boy, Naruto simply stared at him. "Just take it." The boy stared at the bloodied knife for a few seconds before grabbing it.

"Noriaki, I want you to kill me."

"WHAT?!" Both blondes shouted in unison.

"I have made a conscious decision to end everything here. Listen well, Noriaki. This was not predetermined, this is something entirely of my own design."

"I-I can't kill you."

"Why not? Weren't you perfectly willing to kill me downstairs? Can you not handle the fact that you now see me as a person? Perhaps it was easier when your only image of me was a dehumanized oppressor."

"W-well, that's partially right… but I don't want to do your dirty work! If you want out, do it yourself!"

"I've already chosen you as the hero, Noriaki. This is your responsibility now. If you refuse to kill me, I'll have Shimamura kill _you._ Make your decision wisely."

' _Dammit, dammit… this isn't right!'_

' _Kill him.'_

' _No.'_

' _Kill him.'_

' _I said no!'_

' _Kill him.'_

' _Will you shut up!'_

' _Kill him!'_

' _STOP IT!'_

' _KILL HIM!'_

Without even realizing, Naruto had made his way to Michael, the kunai he wielded poised against the man's throat. _'KILL HIM!'_ The boy's right hand was trembling. "If I kill you… what will it accomplish?"

"Under normal circumstances, my sudden death would create a power vacuum. People under me would scramble to gain control of my empire. Whoever would come into control would likely be just as ruthless as I, perhaps more so."

"Under normal circumstances? Are there special circumstances?"

"I have been in contact with the Daimyō of this land. My will stipulates that in the event of my passing, a large sum of my wealth will be allocated to him. The condition being that the money must be spent hiring sufficient forces from the Hidden Leaf Village to protect Setsuri and ensure a peaceful transfer of power. Before long, my influence over Setsuri will be completely forgotten."

His hand still trembling, Naruto tightened his grip on the kunai. _'Forces from the Hidden Leaf, huh? It's almost like reality is bending itself to make me return. If that's the case, so be it.'_

"W-wait!" Shimamura interrupted. "What do I get out of this? You expect me to just take losing my meal ticket lying down?"

Michael chuckled slightly. "Relax, Shimamura. I have not forgotten about you. I have left a great deal to you as well. Given your missing-nin status, I was initially worried. However, we currently reside in a neutral country with no shinobi village. Provided you commit no crimes after my passing, there shall be no complications, I promise."

"Fine."

"Now, Noriaki…" Michael stared deeply into the boy's eyes.

"…End me."

Releasing an anguished scream, Naruto slashed the kunai across the man's neck. Splatters of crimson obscured the blonde's sight. Dropping the kunai, the child fell to his hands and knees, and continued to scream.

* * *

Hours had passed, and Naruto left Setsuri quietly. After the events that had transpired, he didn't feel comfortable facing anyone at the orphanage. The boy had snuck into the room he'd been staying in and quietly fled, backpack in tow. He couldn't deal with the people of Setsuri just yet. If they called him a "hero" for his actions, he wouldn't be able to control himself. The word "hero" didn't just make him sick, it infuriated him.

Naruto's thoughts strayed to those of his own destiny. Was his life truly predetermined? Were those voices from a higher realm? Or was he going insane? Since the scroll incident, the boy had been under a great deal of stress. The thought of insanity didn't seem too farfetched.

' _Michael… he ran away from his hometown. He was innocent just like me, but that didn't prevent him from being afraid. Was it really fate meeting him? Was he really a safety measure like I said? This is all so confusing.'_

Leaping from one tree branch to another, Naruto continued his train of thought. _'Regardless of what fate has to say, I have to see Naoko. If I go back to the Leaf and they punish me, I'll never forgive myself for not seeing her one last time.'_

The blonde looked to his left hand, more specifically to the area his left pinky used to occupy. Shimamura had suggested the boy have his pinky sewn back on, but Naruto refused. He didn't deserve that finger; after everything that happened, he didn't feel he even deserved to live.

' _It's gonna be awkward for a while, but I think I'll manage.'_

Another few hours passed before Naruto succumbed to fatigue. He quickly made shelter in a large tree hollow. Shivering somewhat, the boy wrapped himself up in a wool blanket. The very same blanket he had let Shizune use about two weeks prior. Only a scant few minutes passed before Naruto drifted off to sleep.

" _Naruto! Please… please come back!" Said boy rubbed his eyes. "Naoko? Where are we?" The woman's arms were wrapped around Naruto's body. Her eyes bloodshot, and her face distraught; she had clearly been crying. The two didn't seem to be anywhere in particular, just a blank void._

" _Come back… please." Naruto heard the woman plead._

" _I want to come back! I'll probably be in Taeru by tomorrow! What's wrong?"_

" _I need you, Naruto. I can't explain further, but you must hurry!"_

" _You need me? Why can't you explain further?"_

" _It's too late, Naruto. You have to wake up."_

" _What?"_

"… _have to wake u…"_

Naruto's head flew up and slammed against the roof of the tree hollow. "Ow, ow, ow! Dammit!" The boy rubbed his forehead gingerly, lamenting the damage his poor head had taken over the past two days. _'What was that dream all about? Is Naoko in trouble?'_

Upon packing the blanket, the boy strapped his backpack on and observed his surroundings. _'Looks like it's about noon. If I'm fast enough, I should probably be back in Taeru before it's dark.'_

…

Inhaling the fresh air of Taeru, Naruto allowed himself to smile, if only slightly. He had grown to love the village. Despite only a matter of weeks passing since his departure, it felt more like an eternity to the boy. After strolling around the village for a few minutes, the boy's line of sight crossed paths with a familiar store.

' _Hopefully she doesn't get too worried about the pinky.'_

Naruto slowly opened the door open and shyly made his way into the store. _'This is weird, the store's open but she's not at the counter.'_

"Hey, Naoko! It's me! Recognize my voice?!"

No response. _'Has she gone out for deliveries? Maybe, but I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong here.'_ Naruto nervously approached the stairs. _'Will she mind if I check upstairs? I don't think so, she does trust me.'_

Finding the upstairs hallway deserted, the blonde made his way to Naoko's room. The door was slightly ajar, which for an unknown reason filled Naruto with dread. With a prolonged creaking noise, the door was opened.

His eyes were tightly shut as the sounds of Naoko's pleas echoed through his head.

" _Naruto! Please… please come back!"_

" _Come back… please."_

" _I need you, Naruto. I can't explain further, but you must hurry!"_

Bracing himself, Naruto slowly opened his eyes. The sight that greeted the boy would traumatize him for life. Dangling lifelessly from the ceiling hanged the pale form of Naoko. Her eyes, once filled with such life, such mirth, now bulged out in a horrifying manner. One glance at those eyes pierced Naruto's heart in a way no blade ever could.

' _This woman is not compatible with your future. You cannot diverge from your predetermined path, child of prophecy.'_

With an earth shattering howl, the world turned red. Nothing mattered anymore, all that remained was pain and loneliness. Before being completely overcome by the fox's power, cracks began to form around Naruto's frame of view. All eventually crumbled away, revealing nothing more than an empty void.

The red shroud enveloping the boy dissipated. Hours seemed to pass as Naruto floated aimlessly through eternal blank space. A mixture of loneliness and sheer monotony steadily drove the blonde to madness. No matter how loud his screams were, they were all lost to nothingness.


	11. Chapter 11: Mend

**Chapter 11: Mend  
**

With a few blinks and a stretch of his arms, Naruto had finally stirred. He observed his surroundings; no longer was he floating through a void. The blonde sat on a wooden stool, in a small, sterile room. Another wooden stool was situated a scant few feet away, unoccupied. With no windows or even doors, the room's only source of illumination was a lone, dimly-lit light bulb that dangled loosely from the ceiling.

Naruto's eyes drifted back and forth as he followed the light bulb's light sway. _'What is this place? How did I even get here?'_ Fair questions. How exactly does one end up in a room with no doors or windows? No ventilation either; how was he even breathing? Catching a glimpse of _something_ in his peripheral vision; the boy's eyes shot to the other stool. It was no longer unused.

"Hello." Came the voice of small, blonde-haired child. With spiky hair, blue-eyes and whisker marks; he was a dead ringer for a younger Naruto. Normally, something as strange as this would've caused Naruto to jump or shout. However, something about the small room pacified him; it was quite strange. "You're… me," the older Naruto said calmly.

"In a sense, yes. I represent a part of you. There are many facets to the one known as Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto tilted his slightly, and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Many facets, huh? I'll be honest, 'facets' doesn't seem like a word I'd use."

"…"

"So, is this all in my head or something?"

"Possibly."

"You sure you're me? Figured you'd be more of a talker."

"I will talk when you are willing to listen."

"When I'm willing to listen?" Naruto stood up and approached his younger self. Trying his best to be as imposing as possible; he found his confidence wavering at the child's unflinching gaze. "Who says I'm not willing to listen? Not like I have anything else to do." Naruto returned to his stool and sat down.

"You're afraid."

Naruto growled slightly. "Afraid? What the hell do you think I'm afraid of?"

"Knowing yourself."

Narrowing his eyes, Naruto got up from the stool once again. Despite the unexplainable placidity of the room, he was quickly growing enraged. The audacity of… whoever or whatever he was talking to! It was like conversing with a doll; an inexpressive, unmoving, condescending _object_. This "child" may have looked like Naruto, but he seemed entirely inhuman.

Grabbing his younger self by the collar, Naruto lifted him to meet his eyes. The child's eyes were dull and showed no emotion; his face void of expression. "I _know_ myself better than anyone. Don't you dare talk down to me!" For what seemed like minutes, Naruto ground his teeth together while the smaller blonde remained silent.

"SAY SOMETHING! What do you know about me that I don't?!"

"…"

"You bastard… YOU LITTLE BASTARD!" The larger blonde shifted his hands to wrap around the smaller child's neck. He was angry, tired and confused; if he had to make this _thing_ suffer to get answers, then so be it. "If you don't say something… I'll kill you." Had anyone who knew Naruto heard that; they would've been deeply disturbed by the sheer malice... the sheer iciness of his tone. The boy was far past rationality or compassion, he wanted to make someone suffer.

"…"

Releasing an earsplitting scream, Naruto tightened his grip. He could feel the muscles of the smaller boy twist and contract. Despite the situation, his younger self did not offer any signs of discomfort. His face remained impassive as his eyes began to bulge. The haunting memory of Naoko's face suddenly flashed in Naruto's memory. This only enraged him further; provoking him to violently shake the child and strengthen his death grip.

 _SNAP!_

The smaller boy's body went limp. Naruto's eyes widened, and he froze; the reality of his actions had begun to sink in. After a few agonizing moments of silence, he loosened his hold on the child. The small corpse fell to the ground without a shred of dignity or grace. Naruto brought his trembling hands to his face; staring at them in abject horror. "I… I… what the h-hell have I done?"

Naruto fell to his knees, his forehead grasped with both hands. Oh, how he wanted to cry, but no matter how hard he strained his eyes; the tears refused to shed. He fiercely shook his head back and forth, grunting and muttering apologies. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

"Are you truly sorry?"

The younger Naruto spoke those words, yet his body did not move. His neck was still visibly bruised and broken. The older blonde nervously looked to where his younger self's body lied. "D-did I imagine that?"

"Are you truly sorry?"

"H-how are y-you talking? I… k-killed you…"

"Are you truly sorry?"

Naruto rushed over to the body and rolled it over; it was cold and unmoving. He moved his index and middle fingers to the child's neck to find a pulse. There was none. "I-I killed you. You're d-dead and I'm imagining this." Despite telling himself this, he wasn't entirely convinced.

"Are you truly sorry?"

Naruto yelped and stumbled back, falling on his backside. He nervously scooted himself into a corner. "Y-your mouth! It moved! B-but you don't have a pulse!"

"Are you truly sorry?"

"Will you stop asking that?! I said I was sorry! Accept an apology for God's sake!"

"Liar."

"I'm not… I didn't…"

"Your apologies are insincere; said only out of shame rather than genuine remorse. You wanted to hurt me, to kill me even. After all the pain you've endured, you wanted to feel how it feels to make someone else suffer."

"I…"

"If you can't stop lying to yourself, there's no helping you."

Naruto's fists clenched and his mouth gaped. He continued to glare incredulously at his other self; seconds turned to minutes as both refused to speak. Finally mustering the willpower to talk, the larger blonde started. "You… you're right. I've been beaten around by life for long enough. Is it such a sin that I wanna fight back?!"

"I'm not here to judge you, only to listen."

"I've always been ignored and hated! When I finally make a friend, he gets killed! Then, when _fate_ …" He grimaced at that last word, "…finally decides to cut me some slack and I meet another friend in a place where I'm happy, I have to leave her! And because I wasn't there to protect her…" Naruto sprung up and kicked the nearest stool against the wall. It splintered off into several pieces on impact.

"DAMMIT! I hate pity! I don't want people to pity me and I don't want to pity myself, but I can't help it! Why me?! Why?!" Naruto's hands were now on his knees. He was panting from physical and mental exhaustion. "All I wanted was to be accepted. For someone to like me for _me_. I thought I could achieve that dream by becoming Hokage… but that just isn't possible anymore." He took multiple breaths before continuing.

"Am I… selfish for wanting someone to love me? Do I deserve to be punished for that?"

"…"

"I don't even know if I want to make friends anymore. I'll just end up losing them again." The light bulb flickered; for several seconds, the room was enshrouded in darkness. Once light filled the room again, the body of the smaller Naruto was gone. Sitting on the intact stool was a dark-haired woman; she had a stern look on her face.

Naruto rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "Shizune…?" He asked in a whisper, before shaking his head. "No, you're not the real Shizune, are you?"

"Naruto, do you remember that note I wrote you?"

"Remember?! How could I forget?! Sure, it was just a scrap of paper, but nobody's ever encouraged me like that before. It's one of my most cherished possessions! But… you didn't write that. You're not really Shizune."

Shizune chose to ignore the last part when she responded. "I told you that with enough hard work, you had the potential to surpass both I and Tsunade. I saw first hand how hard you trained, how much determination you possessed. The boy who I taught the tree climbing exercise wouldn't give up this easily."

"Easily?!" Naruto snapped. "My two closest friends are DEAD! Just last night; I had my arm and my nose broken! I was electrocuted _several_ times, and I got my goddamn pinky chopped off!" He brandished his injured hand in front of the woman. "That's not to mention what I had to put up with back in the Hidden Leaf! I'm tired of trying and failing… _so_ tired."

Feeling faint, Naruto leaned back against the wall and slid down. His eyes were shadowed by his bangs as he began to hyperventilate. Shizune did not move; she simply stared analytically at the boy. "You're right, Naruto. I'm not the real Shizune; I'm not going to coddle you and tell you everything will be alright. Deep down, you know you'll accomplish nothing by pitying yourself."

His breathing slowed. Still refusing to meet the woman's gaze, he spoke. "Who says I want to accomplish anything? Maybe I'm content wallowing in my own pity…"

"If you believe that, you really are weak. No wonder Sasuke never considered you an actual rival."

The blonde's eyes narrowed, and Shizune smirked. Hook, line and sinker. "Why the hell are you bringing him into this?!"

"Despite everything that happened to him and his family, he still persevered. Your life hasn't been easy Naruto, but when it comes to loss; Sasuke has suffered far more than you."

Scowling, Naruto stood up and glared at Shizune. "Yeah, so? Because people have had it worse, I don't have the right to feel upset?"

"You have every right to feel upset. All I'm saying is, Sasuke didn't give up. He still trained diligently to reach the top of his class, and I have no doubt that he's excelling as a shinobi as we speak. Look at you, though. You're a pathetic mess; a failure of a shinobi who can't handle a fraction of what Sasuke could."

Naruto grabbed her by her kimono, slamming her against the wall. "Shut up…" He growled menacingly. Shizune continued to stare unflinchingly. "Is this how you're going to solve all your problems now? Hurting others won't improve yourself or other people's opinions of you."

"I… _can't do anything else._ " The last part was a barely audible whisper.

"Can you speak up? I didn't catch all that."

"I can't do anything else! All I know how to do is fight! I'm not smart, I don't have any particular talents! All I can do is beat things up! I don't know how else to prove myself!"

"And whose fault is that?"

' _The fourth Hokage for sealing the damn fox in me. My parents for abandoning me or dying. The village for neglecting me.'_ Naruto wanted to say these thoughts out loud, but knew he couldn't. It wasn't fair to blame others for his own faults and shortcomings.

"Mine… I have no one to blame but myself." Naruto let the taller woman go and slowly backed away. "Good, you've acknowledged the root of your personal problems. Are you going to try and come to terms with that, or are you going to run away like a coward?"

With a renewed fire and look of fierce determination in his eyes, Naruto smiled confidently. "I'm not a coward!"

"Will you keep up your training?"

"Yes!"

"Will you find new ways to express yourself? Ways that don't involve violence?"

"I'm damn well gonna try!"

"Will you make more friends?"

"Hell yes!"

"Are you going to kick Sasuke Uchiha's ass?"

Naruto's smile widened. Pumping his fist, he shouted his answer with as much vigor as he could muster. "You better believe it!"

"And tell me once and for all, why do you want to be strong?"

"To protect those I care about. What I did to that younger me and you in here... I never want to do something like that again. Strength should never be used in that way."

Shizune placed her hands on Naruto's shoulders and smiled. "I'm proud of you. And remember, Naruto, it's okay to grieve for those you've lost. But you can't let that grief consume you. Appreciate the time you've spent with your loved ones and honor their sacrifices."

"I understand. Thank you, Shizune."

She let out a soft chuckle before replying. "I'm not Shizune, Naruto. You already knew that." The boy blushed and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, I guess I wasn't really thinking." Shizune chuckled again before giving the blonde a light peck on the cheek. This caused his blush to increase tenfold. _'Wait a sec, if this is in my mind, which it might be, I'm not sure… does that mean I just kissed myself? And that I strangled myself earlier? Man, I'm messed up!'_

"It's time to wake up, Naruto."

Naruto suddenly awoke in a small clearing in the vast forests of the Land of Fire. The boy was visibly confused; not only about what he had just experienced, but also where he was. _'Last I remember, I was in Naoko's room. Why am I here?'_

His backpack was still wrapped around his shoulders, and the clothes he wore were the same as he remembered. Placing the backpack on the ground, he rummaged through its contents to make sure everything was accounted for. _'Blanket, check. Money, check. Clothes, check. Picture of Mr. Shindo…'_

"WHAT?!"

The blonde began to panic, there was no sign of the picture of Naoko's husband nor of Shizune's note. "Why the hell would someone steal those! They meant a lot to _me_ , but who else would want them?!" Naruto racked his brain trying to come up with a logical explanation. As he tried to put the pieces together, a familiar voice spoke in his head.

' _You cannot diverge from your predetermined path, child of prophecy.'_

Naruto froze; surely _that_ couldn't have happened, right? No, _that_ was impossible. But…

"I'm in the forest instead of Taeru, all my supplies are here except for the picture and the note, and that stupid voice is telling me about a predetermined path again." The boy sighed and began to put two and two together. "Either I'm completely and utterly insane or…" Naruto slapped his forehead; realizing the absolute absurdity of what he was going to say.

"I think I'm just insane. I'd have to be to think of something so ridiculous." Looking to his left hand, he smiled bitterly. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm glad you're still missing, pinky." Naruto strapped on his backpack and leapt into the trees. Having no idea where exactly he was, he sprinted off in a random direction. He hoped dearly that he'd find a town soon, and that wherever that town was; he'd be able to get directions back to Taeru.


	12. Chapter 12: Friend

**Chapter 12: Friend**

Atop a small hill overlooking a quaint merchant village, Naruto sat quietly while his back rested against a tall tree. His eyes were dull and unfocused, and his arms rested limply by his sides. Not too long ago, Naruto's willpower had been completely shattered. After resolving some inner conflict, it seemed like the blonde was well on his way to repairing himself. Of course, reality has a way of crushing you whenever it sees fit.

Hours earlier, Naruto had arrived in the village. Asking around, he quickly learned that not a single soul had heard of a village named 'Taeru.' By all accounts, Taeru did not exist. Naruto didn't give up at this, however. He found a library, and nearly tore the place apart looking whatever scrolls about the Land of Fire he could find. The blonde went through countless maps, historical texts, etc. Not one, not a single damn one mentioned Taeru.

The cruelest part of all is; for a fleeting moment, Naruto actually believed he had attained some peace of mind. Things were far from perfect, but he still managed to find resolve to carry on. That resolve however, had left as quickly as it came. Nothing made sense anymore; was reality bending itself to send him a message? Or was he simply psychotic? As loathe as Naruto was to admit it, the latter explanation was far more likely.

Unbeknownst to the blonde, a young woman was observing him. She wasn't much to look at, her hair was light brown; short, uneven and greasy. The woman's face was marred by patches of dirt, as well as a few scrapes and bruises. Dark bags rested beneath her hazel eyes; clearly, she had seen little rest. Moreover, she was short and underweight.

Growing fed up with waiting, the woman approached Naruto. When the blonde refused to acknowledge her arrival, she scoffed. "You're sitting in my spot." Her declaration was met with staunch silence. Naruto didn't so much as bat an eye. With a sigh, the brunette knelt in front of the boy and glared at him. "What's got you so upset?"

Once again, complete silence.

Feeling rather devilish, she attempted to tease the boy. Surely that would get a reaction out of him, right? She began to lean in, then suddenly stopped when her lips were only a half-inch away from his. "Ever been kissed before?" She asked in a sultry voice. Her breath was particularly pungent, and her body reeked of rotting fish. Despite all this, Naruto still refused to react.

' _That's not enough, huh? Guess I gotta up my game.'_ She leaned back and grabbed his left wrist, then quickly released it after seeing his hand. "W-what the hell happened to your pinky?!" His only response was the sound of air traveling through his nostrils. "W-whatever, I'll use the other hand." Grabbing his other wrist, she propped up his hand and forced it against her left breast.

' _This'll get him going for sure.'_

She was about to smirk, but the damn blonde was still unresponsive. Not wanting to give up just yet, she moved her hand to cover Naruto's. "You can give it a squeeze if you want. I don't mind."

"…"

The woman promptly released his hand and watched as his arm fell lifelessly to the ground. "What the hell is wrong with you?! A _gorgeous_ girl practically throws herself at you, and this is how you react?!" Now some say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but to the average person; this woman was far from gorgeous. If less malnourished and more hygienic, perhaps she would've been more of a looker.

"Will you just say something, dammit? If I have to share my spot, I don't want it to be with a vegetable!" Met with silence yet again, she hmphed. "Since _you_ are in _my_ spot, it's only fair that I use you as a cushion. Any complaints?"

"…"

"Good!" She exclaimed, before plopping down on the poor boy's lap. He let out a faint "oof" sound, but offered no other form of reaction. "It's softer here than I thought it would be. Don't tell me you swing the other way?" Unsurprised by his lack of a response, she broke out in a mock pout. "Or am I _that_ unattractive to you? Oh, you can be so cruel!" She turned her head and nestled her face against Naruto's left cheek.

"You smell like ramen. I like ramen."

Unnoticed by her, this comment elicited a reaction from the blonde. He raised an eyebrow slightly, but did not speak. "And your whisker marks are cute." The woman closed her eyes and let herself relax. Before long, she was fast asleep.

After two hours of having a smelly stranger pressed against him; Naruto was at his limit. The boy had a high tolerance for many things, most notably pain, but he could only stand the woman's stench for so long.

"Could you get off me?"

Her body twitched slightly, but she continued to snore softly. Sighing to himself, Naruto gently poked the woman on the cheek. "Wakey wakey." He poked her again, and again, and again; each successive poke was stronger than the last. After what seemed like minutes, the brunette finally stirred. She released a long yawn before speaking.

"Why did you wake me up? That was the best sleep I've had in years."

Without using too much force, Naruto pushed the strange woman off him. Standing up, he found his legs almost completely numb. "Why'd you push me, ya jerk? Didn't your parents teach you how to treat a pretty girl?" He didn't say anything as he continued to pace around; desperately trying to increase the flow of blood to his legs and feet.

"I'm still tired, too. I need you to be my pillow again!"

"No."

The woman gasped, then smirked triumphantly. "You said something! I knew I could get you to talk! And why won't you be my pillow?" Naruto finished his pacing and folded his arms. "You're a stranger. A _weird_ stranger at that. And you stink… really bad."

"Weird? I'm not _weird_! And how dare you say I stink? Just because I can't afford any fancy soaps or lotions doesn't mean I stink!" The blonde frowned. "Sorry, I know how much it sucks when you're strapped for cash. Still doesn't change the fact that you smell like dead fish."

She brandished a fist before she began to shout. "This is how you talk to me after I compliment how you smell?!" Naruto was unsure if the woman was legitimately upset, or if she was feigning it to mess with him. Honestly, he didn't particularly care. "I'm just telling the truth," the boy said while shrugging his shoulders. She was scowling bitterly, but in an instant, started smiling.

"What's your name?" Naruto looked to her with a raised eyebrow. He began scratching his chin before replying. "My name? I don't feel like telling you." The woman face-faulted. "C'mon! I'll tell you my name if you tell me yours!"

"What the hell makes you think I care about your name?"

"Oh… I just thought maybe you were… never mind." Her features darkened, and she turned away from Naruto as she got up. "I won't bother you anymore." Surprised by the woman's emotional 180, he carefully approached her. "Wait… I'm sorry. You're weird, _really_ weird. But that doesn't give me an excuse to be mean. My name's…" Naruto took a second to ponder whether he should give her his real or fake name. He wasn't transformed, so would it do him any good to lie?

"…Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki. What's yours?"

The speed in which she turned around caught Naruto off guard. He stumbled and fell right on his ass; causing the woman to laugh. At first, he felt a little irritated, but soon found himself laughing as well. After their laughter died down, the woman cleared her throat. "Kei, just Kei. I don't have a surname. I guess sometimes you have to deal with that as an orphan."

"You're… an orphan?" Kei nodded. "I'm an orphan, too. It can be pretty rough, can't it?"

"I'm used to it," she said somberly, but her mood quickly brightened as she continued, "So, are you gonna be my pillow or not?"

"What? No, go back home and sleep there."

"This… is my home." Naruto shook his head in annoyance. Just great, now he was feeling sorry for her. He didn't like the idea of spending more time with the crazy, fish-scented nympho. His moral compass however, was telling him to suck it up.

"I'll spend some time with you. But you have to promise me something." Her eyes brightened, and her smile widened. "Anything!"

"First thing after you wake up, you're taking a bath and brushing your teeth."

"I can't afford that!"

Naruto smirked. "Who said you'd be paying?"

* * *

"I can't thank you enough for thish! I wash famished!"

"Yeah… don't mention it."

Kei was currently wolfing down a bowl of pork ramen. After they had woken up and gotten washed up at the local hot springs, Naruto insisted on treating her to a meal. Little did he know, she had an appetite much like his own. At least, much like his own used to be. Naruto had eaten very little since waking up in the forest.

Naruto took a moment to observe the odd woman. Kei was wearing a white t-shirt and gray shorts; both articles of clothing belonged to him. Her own clothes were little more than rags; filthy, smelly rags. Since bathing, she was also much easier on the eyes. Naruto didn't find her as cute as his crush, Sakura Haruno, but he didn't think she was ugly.

' _Sakura… I haven't thought about her at all recently. I wonder what she's up to.'_ With his head rested on his right palm; he began to daydream about the pink-haired object of his affections. He thought about what she was doing as a shinobi, whether she missed him since he left the village. _'Would she miss me? I'd like to think so, but I doubt it.'_

Noticing Kei had suddenly gone silent, he turned to face her. She was staring at him, making him slightly uncomfortable. "Is there something on my face?" She shook her head. "I think I'm full now. Are you gonna finish your bowl?" The blonde looked down to his ramen, he hadn't even finished half of it.

"I hate to waste ramen, but I just can't eat anymore." Fishing some cash out of his backpack, Naruto left enough money to cover Kei and himself on the counter. After they had both left the stand, the brunette brushed her hand against Naruto's. He flinched slightly; no longer was he zoned out like the night before.

"Can I hold your hand?"

"Um… sure, knock yourself out."

Their fingers gently entwined, and Naruto's cheeks were steadily growing hot. _'What's with this lady? I've known her for less than a day, and I've already held her hand and touched her breast!'_ The blonde blushed harder at that last memory. He wasn't exactly in his right mind when it happened, so he hadn't reacted. Had something like that happened now, he'd probably have a heart attack.

"Let's go down that alley. There's something I wanna show you." Naruto didn't speak, he just nodded dumbly. Upon reaching the end of the alley, the couple stopped. "So, uh… what did you wanna show me?" The boy asked nervously. Kei smiled, then immediately disappeared.

Naruto seized up at the sudden feeling of cold metal pressed against his neck. Soft fingers traced their way under his shirt and up his torso. "So cute and trusting. It's almost a shame I have to kill you." Her breath against the back of his neck sent shivers down his spine.

"Why? I thought we were friends…"

He expected some kind of maniacal laugh. That is what villains do in these situations after all. Well, that's not what she did. She proceeded to lick his left earlobe, causing the blonde's eyes to widen in shock. "Friends? Just because a girl lets you grab her tit, it doesn't mean she's your friend. As for why I'm going to kill you…" Kei licked his ear once more before continuing.

"…Because it's fun."

"F-fun?"

"Getting hormonal little boys all excited, seeing their hopes raised and dashed in the span of a few seconds. It's so… exhilarating." Naruto's knuckles went deathly white as he clenched his fists. "You were so much more innocent than the others. I almost feel guilty… key word: _almost._ "

"Why haven't you killed me yet?"

Now she laughed. "You didn't think I _just_ killed, did you? You really are naïve." Removing her hand from underneath Naruto's shirt, she snatched his weapons pouch. Flicking it open with her thumb, she began to look through it. "Let's see… there we go, ninja wire!" Taking the wire, she let the pouch fall to the ground.

"Usually the boys I play with are weak and unarmed, so I don't have to do this. Can't take any risks with you though, can I?" Realizing Naruto wasn't being compliant, she sighed in irritation. "Put your arms together, dammit! I only have one free hand here."

Annoyed by his silence, she slid her kunai a fraction of an inch, drawing blood. "If you don't want to die a virgin, I suggest you put your goddamn arms tog-" She was interrupted as Naruto's right elbow slammed into her stomach; causing her to drop the kunai and double over. After a short coughing fit, she looked up. His eyes were crimson, and his pupils were slits.

Naruto delivered a fierce, chakra-enhanced axe kick to her face; sending her crashing into a nearby wall. Kei was quite dazed, but still conscious, albeit barely. She hardly had time to register what had happened before the red-eyed boy appeared in front of her and lifted her up by the collar. The combination of pain and the sheer killing intent radiating from the blonde rendered her speechless.

The terrified expression on the woman's face brought Naruto to his senses. He shook his head furiously and closed his eyes; when they opened, they were once again their normal blue. "I want to kill you… so much." His face fell somewhat; his eyes were now obscured by his bangs. "I've done it before, too. It would be so easy."

His body was trembling as streams of liquid started pouring down his cheeks. "So, tell me…" He sniffed. "…Why can't I kill you? WHY?!" Kei coughed up a bit of blood, then smirked.

"B-because… you're weak."

An ear-piercing scream was the last thing Kei heard before her world went black.

* * *

Naruto quickly high-tailed his way out of the village after the whole Kei fiasco. Had he stayed around, and someone saw him with a bloodied and unconscious woman… well, it would've been the scroll incident all over again. The boy couldn't have _another_ misunderstanding ruin his life.

Having studied various maps the day before, he had a good idea of where he was heading. It was finally time; time to return to the Hidden Leaf. There was nothing left for him out here. Naoko was dead, or perhaps never even existed. And as for the events in Setsuri? The maps he found had very little information of the towns in other countries. Was that place non-existent too?

If he'd be punished for deserting the village, for killing Mizuki and Iruka; so be it. He couldn't flee from his fate forever. No matter the consequences, he'd face them like a man.

During the several hours of tree hopping, Naruto had time aplenty to contemplate the events that had transpired since he left the Leaf. His memories of Naoko felt so real, he was certain there was a legitimate relationship between them. Could he really have deluded himself into believing that? The meeting with Tsunade and Shizune… that had to have happened! How else could he have learned to walk up trees?

And what happened in Michael's casino; the beating he endured, the finger he lost, the game of chess he played. Naruto's memories of that day were so vivid. He couldn't possibly have imagined all that. But why didn't Taeru exist? Why had the two most precious mementos of his journey disappeared? If Naruto wasn't already crazy, he'd certainly drive himself to that point with all these questions.

Naruto's thoughts shifted to what happened earlier that day. There weren't many people who he hated. Disliked? Sure, there were plenty of people who rubbed him the wrong way, but hate? That wasn't a word to be thrown around carelessly. He _hated_ Kei with every fiber of his being. The fact that she had done what she was attempting before and succeeded; it made Naruto ill.

Michael's brand of antagonization may have had a far worse overall impact, but nothing he did was quite so _vile._ Toying around with children's feelings; mentally and sexually abusing them, even killing them. And how she took advantage of him while he was so vulnerable. Were her other victims in similar mental states? God, he hoped not.

Finally coming to a halt, Naruto's sight set on a familiar gate. It hadn't been very long since he had left, yet it felt like an eternity had passed. "Well, voice-in-my-head, I hope this is what you wanted. There's no turning back now." With one final gulp, he hopped off a tree branch and onto the dirt path. Naruto had to force each leg to move; with each agonizing step he came closer and closer to his destiny.


End file.
